European Challenge Cup: Zebre 26-36 Worcester Warriors - visitors keep knockout hopes alive

Niall Annett's two tries were his first for Worcester since April last year

Worcester kept their hopes of making the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup alive with a bonus-point 36-26 win over Zebre in Parma.

Niall Annett's double in the first quarter put Worcester in control before Erich Cronje powered over for Zebre.

Billy Searle got a third for Worcester but Giovanni D'Onofrio pulled one back just before the half-time break.

But tries from Tom Howe and Ted Hill secured victory before Jacopo Trulla and Enrico Lucchin scored for Zebre.

Warriors' first win in the competition this season moves Jonathan Thomas's side above Biarritz into third place in Pool A on nine points, having finished their four-game group campaign.

They will qualify for the knockout stages if Biarritz lose at home to group leaders Toulon in their final game in April, although the three-time European champions have already qualified having been awarded a 28-0 win over second-placed Newcastle after their game was cancelled on Friday.

Should Biarritz win, Worcester could still qualify as the best fourth-placed finisher, but they would need Saracens to lose at least one of their remaining two games in Pool C and have Pau lose at Edinburgh in the same group in April.

Zebre: Laloifi; D'Onofrio, Cronje, Lucchin, Bellini; O'Malley, Violi; Fischetti, Fabiani, Bello, Sisi, Krumov, Mitchell, Andreani, Giammarioli.

Replacements: Ceciliani, Rimpelli, Zilocchi, Zambonin, Bianchi, Palazzani, Rizzi, Trulla.

Worcester: Doel; Howe, O Morris, Beck (co-capt), Hearle; Searle, Chudley; Waller, Annett (co-capt), McCallum, Clegg, A Kitchener, Kvesic, Lewis, Vailanu.

Replacements: Miller, Owen, Judge, Hatherell, Hill, Simpson, Smith, Johnson.

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland).

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