Premiership: Worcester Warriors 11-9 Newcastle Falcons

Wynand Olivier has scored a try in successive games for Worcester

Wynand Olivier scored the game's only try to help Worcester beat Newcastle for their first win of the season.

Tom Heathcote was the provider for Olivier's second try in as many games, also kicking a penalty to make it 8-3 after Mike Delany landed Newcastle's only first-half points.

Warriors' Ryan Lamb then kicked one of two penalties to make it 11-3.

Penalties from Delany and Joel Hodgson gave Newcastle hope, but Worcester's fierce defence proved the difference.

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Worcester, who had recorded successive home draws from their opening two games at Sixways this season, triumphed for the first time in the Premiership since 26 March.

Newcastle, a side that won on the road for the first time in the Premiership in two years when they overcame Gloucester a week earlier, were frustrated by strong scrummaging and a belligerent defensive effort from the hosts.

The Falcons were also hindered by their own handling errors and poor decision-making throughout.

Even with England prop David Wilson making his first appearance for the club in seven years, having re-signed from Bath in September, the Falcons were overawed at scrum time.

Olivier's try for Worcester came from a stray Sinoti Sinoti pass which failed to find Dom Waldouck, allowing Heathcote to send the South Africa centre clear.

Worcester head coach Carl Hogg told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"The game wasn't a classic or a huge spectacle. We've got a lot of injuries and Newcastle had most of the possession and territory.

"We didn't play particularly well as our line-out malfunctioned badly, it was very frustrating and something we need to look at.

"But it's great to get the monkey off our back. It was a huge tick in the box for team spirit and resilience. I'm delighted for the players, who have worked exceptionally hard."

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards:

"It was a turgid and horrible game, but we had a lot of possession and territory but didn't make it count.

"They had one chance and took it and we didn't take ours as we didn't have enough accuracy in attack."

On the performance of referee Tom Foley: "A bunch of young referees are making decisions which are having a massive effect on the game.

"They have never been in a scrum in their life and have no idea about what's going on in it and they are looking at the outcome rather than the cause.

"The young referees will learn and Tom Foley has the potential to be a good referee."

Warriors Warriors: Shillcock; Humphreys, Olivier, Willison, Vuna; Heathcote, Arr; Rapava Ruskin, Annett, Schonert, O'Callaghan, Barry, Faosiliva, Kirwan, Dowson (capt).

Replacements: Bregvadze, Leleimalefaga, Johnston, Scotland-Williamson, Cox, Baldwin, Lamb, Adams.

Newcastle Falcons: Hammersley; Tait, Waldouck, Socino, Sinoti; Delany, Takulua; Vickers, Lawson, Welsh, Green, Olmstead, Wilson, Welch (capt), Hogg.

Replacements: Sowrey, Rogers, Wilson, Witty, Temm, Young, Hodgson, Agulla.