Drahm's boot has Leicester reeling

Worcester's victory at a packed Sixways last night has taken them into previously uncharted waters and the fully deserved win denied Leicester the chance of going top of the table.

With Martin Corry, Louis Deacon, Harry Ellis and Lewis Moody all absent in the England training squad in advance of next week's Test against Australia at Twickenham, and Geordan Murphy with Ireland, Austin Healey returned at scrum-half for Leicester and took over the captaincy. With Julian White suspended, Graham Rowntree absent with a neck problem and Daryl Gibson not recovered from a heavy knock in last Saturday's Heineken Cup game against Stade Français, Pat Howard's resources were stretched. But Andy Goode and Ollie Smith had been released by England and both started on the bench.

John Brain, Worcester's director of rugby, was more fortunate than Howard, losing only Pat Sanderson to England and Chris Horsman to Wales.

Leicester who drew first blood when Ross Broadfoot banged over a short penalty. But Worcester were soon on terms after a convincing surge towards the Tigers' line. Once halted, Shane Drahm slotted the penalty, and then got another.

Back came the Tigers. Broadfoot missed with a straightforward penalty, before another stifling assault on the home line led to yet another penalty. Though kickable, Healey opted for the line-out drive. Ben Kay took a clean catch for Will Skinner to be shunted across for the opening try.

A third Drahm penalty turned it back Worcester's way to make it 9-8, and though there had, up until the 31st minute, not been any real venom in the exchanges, Ben Kay foolishly punched Craig Gillies, with the referee at his shoulder and was shown a yellow card for his misdemeanor. With half-time beckoning and Kay set for a return, Worcester exacted some revenge when Drahm drilled over a fourth penalty, then a fifth on the break.

Within seven minutes of the restart, Leicester were back to 14 men when James Hamilton pulled down a maul as Worcester maintained momentum. But Leicester hung in there, more in hope than expectation. Goode, who had replaced Broadfoot, kicked a penalty to make it 15-11 to push the door ajar. It never opened.

Worcester: Penalties Drahm 5. Leicester: Try Skinner; Penalties Broadfoot, Goode.

Worcester: N Le Roux; A Havili, B Hinshelwood, T Lombard, T Delport; S Drahm, A Gomarsall; T Windo (capt), C Fortey, T Taumoepeau, P Murphy, C Gillies, K Horstmann, J Tuamoheloa (S Vaili, 71), D Hickey.

Leicester: S Vesty; A Tuilagi, L Lloyd (O Smith, 64), D Hipkiss, T Varndell; R Broadfoot (A Goode, 49), A Healey (capt); M Holford (D Holford, 63), G Chuter, A Moreno, J Hamilton (L Cullen, 59), B Kay, B Deacon, W Skinner, W Johnson.

Referee: R Maybank (Twickenham).