Premiership: Worcester Warriors 30-33 Exeter Chiefs - Leaders go eight points clear

Exeter Chiefs have now won 13 of their 16 Premiership games this season

Exeter Chiefs moved eight points clear at the top of the Premiership and added to Worcester's relegation fears after hanging on for victory at Sixways.

A try from Olly Woodburn and two from Santiago Cordero put the visitors 19-6 up at the break.

Bryce Heem then crossed before Tom O'Flaherty added Chiefs' fourth.

Ted Hill and Tom Howe scores either side of Harry Williams' Chiefs try gave Worcester hope, but Chris Pennell's late Warriors effort proved too little.

Pennell's try, while not enough to give Warriors victory against the leaders, was enough to secure a vital try-scoring and losing bonus point for the lowly top-flight side in what was his 150th Premiership appearance for the club.

While the two points came as a much-needed consolation, bottom side Newcastle's dramatic win against Wasps leaves them just three points above the relegation spot.

• Wasps 19-20 Newcastle

• Northampton 24-26 Bristol

• Premiership table

Duncan Weir had kicked Warriors into the lead with the game's first penalty, only for Cordero to grab two tries either side of Worcester losing Francois Venter to a head injury.

A second Weir penalty kept Worcester in it, but a fumble from Howe as he tried to gather an O'Flaherty kick allowed Woodburn to score.

Exeter prop Greg Holmes was sin-binned for a high challenge on Ollie Lawrence at the break, and Warriors made the one-man advantage count as Heem ran in a fine solo try.

Worcester went on to outscore the high-flying Chiefs, but Rob Baxter's Exeter did enough to capitalise on Saracens' defeat at Bath on Friday to open the gap at the summit.

Worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons:

"To get those two points was massive. Every single point in this league counts as it's the best competition of its type in the world.

"After last week's disappointing show at Newcastle, we needed a performance. Our effort was exemplary as we had to get back into the game against a very good side.

"We deserved our two points as the tries we scored were really good as we showed what our attack is capable of."

Exeter Chiefs head coach Ali Hepher:

"It's a little bit frustrating as we took our eye off the ball, it's human nature to relax but situations can always come back to bite you so we need to be more ruthless.

"We are well-positioned with four home games in our final set of six fixtures but we are just continuing to look at each performance as we go along."

Worcester Warriors: Pennell; Heem, Venter, Mills (capt), Howe; Weir, Hougaard; Black, Annett, Schonert, Bresler, Fatialofa, Hill, Lewis, Mama

Replacements: Miller, Waller, Milasinovich, Phillips, Cox, Heaney, Lance, Lawrence.

Exeter Chiefs: Cordero; O'Flaherty, Whitten, Devoto, Woodburn; Steenson, Maunder; Hepburn, Yeandle (capt), Holmes, Dennis, Hill, Ewers, Armand, Kvesic

Replacements: Taione, Keast, Williams, Skinner, Lonsdale, White, Simmonds, Hill.

Referee: JP Doyle.

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