Harlequins 9 (6): Pens: Staunton 3 Worcester 15 (3): Pens: Brown 5

Five James Brown penalties proved enough in a tense encounter as the Warriors moved up to eighth place.

Quins led 6-3 at half-time through two Jeremy Staunton penalties, but Brown thumped over four more after the break.

Staunton landed a third penalty in the final minute to salvage a losing bonus point for the home side.

Worcester used the wind and their clear superiority up front to crank up the pressure in a one-sided second half as Quins were given a torrid time in the set-pieces.

The home side also paid for their indiscipline as the visitors played the game in Quins' half and Brown took the points on offer.

We were scrummed out the game. Worcester gave us all sorts of problems Quins boss Mark Evans

Many home fans gave their verdict on a lifeless display from Mark Evans' side by leaving the ground 10 minutes early.

Worcester drew first blood with a Brown penalty, but Staunton replied with one of his own in the 14th minute.

Quins twice might have scored tries, first from Gavin Duffy's break and then when the Irishman was held up short after a jinking run from Staunton.

The fly-half landed another penalty from 40 metres out but thereafter neither team looked capable of scoring a try as the forwards scrapped it out up front.

Quins' Tony Diprose and Worcester's Craig Gillies swung a few punches at each other but nothing connected and referee Chris White let them off with a warning.

We've developed at this level and hopefully will continue to do so Worcester coach Andy Keast

Quins survived a five-metre scrum near their own line on the resumption but Brown levelled the scores in the 51st minute with a penalty from a tricky angle.

The former England Under-21 interntional punished further Quins indiscretions in the 57th, 65th and 71st minutes, the latter after Worcester had pushed them back 15m in a scrum.

Staunton's late penalty at least ensured some reward from a poor afternoon's work, but Quins are now firmly in the relegation mire.

The battle to beat the drop

But director of rugby Evans does not believe they will slip out the Premiership.

"There are still a lot of critical games to go and I believe 37 points is the target we must reach to stay up so we need another 11 points from six games to get there.

"I believe it will go down to the last match of the season but I don't think it will be either us or Worcester who will be relegated."

Harlequins: Williams; Keogh, Duffy, Harder, Monye; Staunton, So'oialo; M Worsley, Fuga, Jones; Evans, Maling; Easter, Vos (capt), Diprose.
Replacements: Dawson for Jones (41), Miall for Maling (65), Hayter for Fuga (69), Winters for Evans (72). Not Used: Sherriff, James, Reay.

Worcester: Delport; O'Leary, Rasmussen, Lombard, Hinshelwood; Brown, Powell; Windo, Van Niekerk, Horsman, Collier, Gillies; Hickey, Sanderson (capt), MacLeod Henderson.
Replacements: Hayes for O'Leary (58), Murphy for Collier (73), Cole for Powell (76). Not Used: Fortey, Daly, Vaili, Pieters.

Attendance: 8,166

Referee: Chris White (RFU)