Richard Hill's men started the game trailing Sale Sharks and Leicester Tigers in the Pool 2 standings in the quest for a last four spot and knowing only a win would probably be good enough.

However, impressive Irish were always in control as two tries from prop Halani Aulika and an effort from Yarde saw the home side open up a commanding 22-3 lead by the break that they never looked like giving up.

Fly half Danny Gray cruised over for Warriors as they looked to mount a fight-back, but home Number Eight Alex Gray hit back within a minute for the bonus point try.

David Lemi showcased his dazzling finishing skills with a brilliant try and James Percival scored late on but there was to be no bonus point and the final word went to Yarde in the last minute.

A penalty for offside saw Gray open the scoring from in front of the posts on three minutes.

Home wing Yarde then led an Irish response but Josh Matavesi managed to drag his man into touch and stop the hosts exploiting an overlap.

Number Eight Blair Cowan carried strongly from the base of the scrum before the lively Matavesi produced a delicious offload out of the tackle to Abbott.

Sailosi Tagicakibau brushed off two tackles and only a superb tap tackle from Josh Drauniniu stops him marauding down the left wing. A penalty for not rolling away saw Tom Homer level the scores.

Abbott forced a penalty with some brilliant play on the floor as he swarmed on Tagicakibau while Craig Gillies carried strongly as the arm wrestle for supremacy in midfield continued.

Shane Geraghty played heads up rugby with a chip ahead that bounced kindly for Yarde and Irish quickly work the ball in field before prop Aulika crashed his way through tackles and dived over for a 10-3 lead.

Fly half Gray produced a sublime break through a congested midfield and he just failed to find support runners. Worcester opted for the corner and not the posts and Gray again looked to unlock Irish with a neat behind the back pass to Ollie Hayes.

De Carpentier took the ball with one hand as Worcester looked to force a position before from nowhere Pat Phibbs pinched the ball at the breakdown and threatened to run in from distance before three Worcester tacklers dragged him down.

Phibbs nearly broke away again before Drauniniu turned over Homer on the floor and De Carpentier produced a thumping clearing boot.

Rain started to lash it down as Matt Garvey burst down the middle and was only stopped by s last gasp tackle from Claassens as Irish continued to break first up tackles.

The pressure was building and Irish struck again, after a fortunate bounce forced Arr to take the ball into touch, as a lineout drive saw Aulika again cross the whitewash to open up a 17-3 lead.

The home side were hurtling through men and causing Warriors huge problems around the fringes as they crept up close before Aulika again made a dart for the line but was hauled up short.

Irish grabbed a third try just before the break as Geraghty again grubber kicked into the right hand corner and a kind bounce this time popped, evaded Claassens and fell to Yarde who dotted down and was given the try after referee Hodges talked to his assistant.

Worcester started the second half with plenty to do, but they were immediately on the back foot as Homer slotted another kick to extend the lead.

Ceri Jones flicked a pass out of the tackle to Hayes on his left shoulder as Warriors applied some pressure of their own with a series of penalties forcing Irish back before possession was lost down the blindside.

Worcester made the breakthrough as Gray darted over from close range after Schofield had driven up close. George Skivington was also yellow carded as a result of the escalating penalty count.

But within a minute namesake Alex responded for Irish as a lineout was driven over with the Number Eight forcing the ball down to open up a 32-10 lead.

De Carpentier showed a clean set of heels to Geraghty with a slicing break to make 40 metres, but Yarde also showed his pace to run back and take the back row down two-metres from the line and stop what would have been an electric score.

Drauniniu also showed some fight as he handed off Homer and made big yards while Hill made six changes and introduced the rest of his bench as he looked spark Warriors back into life.

Worcester came alive with a moment of supreme skill from Lemi as he collected Goode's pass and, with plenty still to do, blasted off one tackle from Anthony Watson before amazingly arcing his body to put the ball down in the corner as Irish looked to push him out.

Once again, though, any hopes of a late fight-back were immediately extinguished as Geraghty produced an incisive inside ball to Yarde who brushed off tackles to dive over for a fifth home score.

Worcester were now looking to keep the ball alive and hunted a try bonus point of their own as quick hands allowed Percival to slide in the corner for a third of the afternoon from the Warriors.

But time was always against Warriors and late yellow cards to Sam Betty and Jebb Sinclair after a bust-up involving both teams only halted matters before Yarde scored a hat-trick in the final seconds.

Timeline:

03m Gray p 0-3

10m Homer p 3-3

15m Aulika t Homer c 10-3

31m Aulika t Homer c 17-3

40m Yarde t 22-3

43m Homer p 25-3

53m Gray t Gray c 25-10

54m Gray t Homer c 32-10

63m Lemi t Goode c 32-17

67m Yarde t Homer c 39-17

74m Percival t Goode c 39-24

79m Yarde t Homer c 46-24

Warriors: 01 Ceri Jones (O'Donnell 61), 02 Ollie Hayes (Shervington 61), 03 James Currie (Andress 61), 04 Dean Schofield, 05 Craig Gillies (Percival 61), 06 Richard de Carpentier, 07 Jake Abbott (Betty 61), 08 Blair Cowan, 09 Jonny Arr (Frost 61), 10 Danny Gray, 11 David Lemi, 12 Josh Matavesi (Short 54), 13 Jon Clarke, 14 Josh Drauniniu, 15 Errie Claassens (Goode 54)

Replacements: 16 Ed Shervington, 17 Rob O'Donnell, 18 John Andress, 19 James Percival, 20 Sam Betty, 21 Ollie Frost, 22 Andy Goode, 23 Andy Short