London Irish: (16) 25 Try: Staniforth Con: Mapletoft Pens: Mapletfoft 6 Worcester: (3) 15 Try: Sanderson, penalty Con: Hayes Pen: Hayes

Staniforth ran in for the Exiles in the 27th minute, helping the home side to a 16-3 half-time lead.

Worcester got themselves back into the contest with a Pat Sanderson try almost immediately after the re-start.

The Premiership strugglers were then awarded a last-minute penalty try but Mapletoft's kicking proved too good.

London Irish coach Gary Gold warned he could lodge a complaint against referee Chris White over the penalty try and the earlier yellow carding of Ryan Strudwick.

"I'm going to need to have a look at the video and I will give our report through the usual channels," said Gold.

"If we were persistently infringing we deserved the penalty try against us - but it has to be a level playing field."

We didn't turn up today Worcester coach Andy Keast

Mapletoft, who had switched from fly-half to centre for the match, kicked exquisitely from the outset.

And he created his side's only try when Tommy Hayes spilled the ball in his own 22. Mapletoft chipped ahead and Staniforth pounced over the line.

It took just two minutes into the second half for Worcester to get back into contention when Mike Catt lost possession in front of the posts.

Hayes scooped up the ball, spun it out to Dale Rasmussen, who helped send Sanderson in for the score in the right-hand corner.

Mapletoft, though, edged London Irish further ahead with three more penalties.

Worcester never gave up and were rewarded for their endeavours with a last-ditch penalty try after the Exiles had been penalised three times in front of their own posts.

Despite a late comeback, Worcester coach Andy Keast said it was his team's worst performance of the season.

"We didn't turn up today," he said. "We didn't win any ball and didn't give ourselves any platform."

London Irish: Horak, Armitage, Staniforth, Catt, Bishop, Mapletoft, Hodgson; Hatley (capt), Russell, Hardwick, Kennedy, Casey, Gustard, Danaher, Murphy.
Replacements: Wheatley, Paice, Roche, Strudwick, Mordt, Edwards, Everitt.