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Wasps blast past struggling Worcester Warriors
By
PA
Wasps secured an eighth successive home victory in all competitions with a 41-12 win over Worcester Warriors at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
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Lee Blackett’s side took a 15-point lead in at the break courtesy of tries from Tom West and Josh Bassett plus five points from the boot of Jimmy Gopperth.
Worcester’s first score came in early into the second half when Harri Doel finished neatly only for Gabriel Oghre and Elliott Stooke to strike and secure Wasps a bonus point.
Ted Hill’s try gave Warriors hope of salvaging something from the game but those slim chances were erased as Oghre grabbed his second and Tom Willis’ opportunistic score at the death completed a comprehensive win for the hosts.
It was Wasps who flew out of the blocks and opened the scoring within four minutes when West survived a collision to reach over and ground the ball.
Worcester threatened in attack and teased Zach Kibirige into a deliberate knock-on that was punished with a yellow card.
Joe Launchbury appeared to have stretched Wasps’ lead when he crossed only for it to be chalked off by the television match official.
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Buoyed by their reprieve, Worcester broke free with Oli Morris latching on for a run-in only for Charlie Atkinson to hunt him down.
Billy Searle, up against his former club, pushed a penalty wide while Gopperth made no mistake from his next shot at goal.
Wasps stretched their lead further when Bassett profited from slick work from the half-back paring of Dan Robson and Atkinson to scorch home on an unstoppable diagonal run from 40 metres out.
There was a late scare for the hosts as a shuddering Malakai Fekitoa hit on Morris was checked but the former All Blacks ace was punished by a penalty only.
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The score Worcester had threatened in the first half eventually came eight minutes into the second as Searle and Hearle combined to free Doel into the left corner.
It wasn’t to be a score they would build upon as the hosts struck back entering the final quarter.
Robson’s quickly-tapped free-kick allowed Gopperth and Kibirige to break into the 22, upon the recycle, Alfie Barbeary’s soft hands freed Atkinson to tease a ball out in front of Stooke to stride in from 10 metres out.
A brilliant Willis penalty win at a breakdown was turned into seven points as Oghre rumbled a driving maul over with Umaga adding the extras.
Perry Humphreys’ offload to Hill kept Worcester in with a shout, only for Oghre to drive over before Willis stayed alert to Gareth Simpson’s fumble to ground a bizarre final try.
