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Last Updated: Saturday, 8 April 2006, 15:19 GMT 16:19 UK

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Worcester 10-12 London Irish

Riki Flutey and Shane Geraghty celebrate London Irish's second try

Worcester: (7) 10
Tries: Delport
Cons: Drahm
Cons: Drahm

London Irish: (12) 12
Tries: Roche, Geraghty
Cons: Flutey

London Irish recorded a fifth Guinness Premiership away win in a row to stay on course for the play-offs.

Worcester played the final 25 minutes without South African full-back Thinus Delport, who was sent off after being shown a second yellow card.

Irish took the lead through a Kieran Roche try but Worcester hit back when Delport claimed a converted score.

Shane Geraghty's try gave the Exiles a 12-7 interval lead and Shane Drahm's penalty was not enough for the hosts.

Referee Wayne Barnes ordered uncontested scrums with 30 minutes of the match remaining after Worcester props Tony Windo and Tevita Taumoepeau went off injured in quick succession.

Worcester boss John Brain:
"I am not allowed to say anything about the referee, so I won't.

"I don't think Irish were at their best, and neither were we. There were problems at the breakdown and with off-sides, and I think the spectators haven't seen much rugby.

"Games tend to lose their edge when uncontested scrums are introduced, and you could go with a whole front row on the bench, but that is an argument for another day."

Exiles boss Brian Smith:
"We made hard work of it. We created a lot of opportunities, but we struggled to finish them off and spurned situations like three-on-one overlaps.

"We didn't play up to the level we wanted to, but the rugby gods smiled on us.

"Our defence was very good, but it is hard when the scrums go uncontested. It was bordering on rugby league in the final 10 or 15 minutes.

"The game has to look at it, and maybe consider going to eight players on the bench instead of seven, including three front-row forwards."

Worcester: Delport; Havili, Rasmussen, Lombard, Tucker; Drahm, Powell; Windo, van Niekerk, Tuamoepeau; Murphy, Gillies; Vaili, Sanderson, Horstmann.
Replacements: Gomarsall for Powell (72), Hickie for van Niekerk (32), McDonald for Tuamoepeau (32), Blaze for Vaili (72). Not Used: Harding, Whatling, Trueman.

Sin Bin: Delport (16).

Sent Off: Delport (55).

London Irish: Armitage; Ojo, Franze, Geraghty, Bishop; Flutey, Hodgson; Hatley, Russell, Skuse; Casey, Roche; Danaher, Magne, Murphy.
Replacements: Edwards for Hodgson (69), Dawson for Hatley (54), Paice for Russell (49), Rautembach for Skuse (41), Leguizamon for Murphy (41). Not Used: Penney.

Sin Bin: Flutey (55).

Att: 9,726

Ref: Wayne Barnes (England).

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