Worcester 13-12 Northampton: Warriors edge Saints
Last Updated: 17/10/15 12:29pm
Tom Heathcote scored a dramatic 80th-minute drop goal as newly-promoted Worcester edged Northampton by a point at Sixways.
It appeared as though the Saints would snatch the victory when Stephen Myler struck a 78th-minute penalty to give his side a 12-10 lead at the end of a scrappy encounter.
But Heathcote dropped a goal from 30 metres to give the Premiership's new arrivals a win in a breathless finish to a match which was starved of genuine quality for long periods.
It was a moment which provided a silver lining to a dark cloud of a second-half performance by Heathcoate, who missed four penalties - a return which looked like being costly when Myler kicked for a late Northampton lead.
GJ Van Velze scored the only try of the game when he finished off a routine midfield move by Worcester to cross the whitewash against his former team in the first half.
Northampton, who included England internationals Luther Burrell and Dylan Hartley in their line-up, were poor throughout and their points all came from the boot of Myler.
In the Saints pack Kieran Brookes, Michael Paterson and Jamie Gibson all made their Premiership debuts for the club.
Former Saint Phil Dowson made his debut for Worcester along with Irish international Donncha O'Callaghan and Scotland cap Heathcote.
The Warriors had suffered a late setback when forwards Sam Lewis and Val Rapava Ruskin withdrew through injury.
