Tom Coventry's men move off bottom of Aviva Premiership table

This game was hugely important for basement boys Irish in the context of their season, and they started well with good possession in the Worcester 22 winning them an early penalty.

However, Shane Geraghty could not send a relatively straightforward kick between the uprights and Exiles strong start was not rewarded.

Worcester then showed some good attacking promise, twice showing slick hands to create overlaps, but they were not able to convert either significantly.

The game was a highly physical encounter lacking much quality, although Irish almost managed to bundle their way over the line shortly after, the TMO declining their appeals for a try.

Ciaran Hearn then produced the first real but of quality in the game for Irish, after he collected the ball from a turnover he spotted space and chipped into it, before gathering himself and crossing to score an excellent try and get Irish on the board.

After Geraghty simply converted from under the posts, Irish's defence stood firm and stayed disciplined to stop Worcester replying with any immediate points.

After the game meandered for several minutes Worcester did manage to win a penalty just inside the Irish half, which Ryan Mills kicked with no problems to cut the gap to 7-3.

The second piece of quality in the game from Irish came from Topsy Ojo. His excellent line break put Irish on the front foot, before Bryce Heem gave away a penalty straight in front of the Irish posts and received a yellow card for kicking the ball out of Steele's hands from an offside position.

Geraghty kicked the resulting penalty and Irish almost managed to make the man advantage count straight away as they created an overlap inside the Worcester five-metre line, but sloppy hands from Andrew Fenby meant the ball was knocked on before getting to the final man.

Exiles pack rallied from the resulting scrum and won a penalty which they kicked to the corner to show intent, but the sloppy nature of the game then came to the fore as Irish knocked on from the resulting line out, which was the last significant play of the half.

The second period seemed to get off to the perfect start for Irish as Ojo crossed in the corner after an exhilarating line break from Aseli Tikoirotuma, however, the TMO again denied Irish after long deliberation for the second time due to obstruction from Jebb Sinclair on the original break.

From the penalty Worcester kicked for the corner, and their driving maul almost got them over the line. They spun it wide and were just short, before spinning it back the other way for Heem to touch down in the corner. The conversion was missed, however, leaving Irish two points up.

The hosts won a penalty off the restart and decided to kick for the corner instead of taking the points. They were held up just short on several occasions including once again being denied by the TMO, but Donncha O'Callaghan was yellow carded in the process.

Irish seemed to have lost the chance after minutes camped in the Worcester 22 when they were turned over, but the visitors then knocked on before making any ground.

Exiles scrum stayed firm at the resulting set-piece, and then finally the pressure told as Andrew Fenby ran an excellent line on the inside shoulder of Geraghty, crossing under the posts.

When Geraghty simply converted Irish led 17-8, but the game was by no means over.

Worcester were then camped inside the Irish 22 for a spell, and the same sequence of penalties kicked to the corner happened before David Paice was yellow-carded for Irish.

However, Irish then stole the next line-out and managed to relieve the pressure on themselves, and Worcester came away empty handed.

With the man advantage Warriors continued to dominate possession, though, and they made their way down the field into the Irish 22 once more. The try did then come as Val Rapava Ruskin crossed, although Ryan Mills' poor day with the boot continued as he missed to leave the score 17-13.

Some poor Worcester discipline gifted Irish a penalty in their own 22, and Geraghty needed no second invitation to kick the points, sticking it straight between the posts to ease the nerves of the majority of the crowd of 5,837.

Both sides seemed jittery as they both showed poor discipline in the final five minutes, but Exiles held on to secure a third straight home win and lift them level on points and above Newcastle Falcons at the foot of the table.

London Irish visit Northampton next Saturday.