FULL-BACK Chris Pennell believes Worcester Warriors are heading in the right direction but cannot afford to ease up.

Warriors have won their last 15 matches at first-team level and are second behind Bristol in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Pennell says Warriors are looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead, starting with Satur - day’s visit from sixth-placed Cornish Pirates, as they bid to return to the Premiership at the first at attempt.

“For our supporters and for us, as a playing squad, it was really important to finish the year with a win,” said Pennell.

“I think the bits that went in between, such as the relegation from the Premiership, can be slightly glossed over to a certain extent.

“We have to move on and focus on the year ahead and what that will bring for us.”

Sam Smith snapped up four tries as Warriors rounded off 2014 with a 36-17 win at Yorkshire Carnegie.

Warriors also have a home quarter-final tie against Pontypridd in the British and Irish Cup on January 24.

“We are certainly on the right track but we cannot afford to sit back and think we are where we need to be because we are far from it,” said Pennell.

“We are going through learning processes as a squad and, hope - fully, in the next couple of months get can get over the line.

“We made a slow start against Yorkshire but we stepped up the tempo for the last 10 minutes of the second-half and we showed how we had wanted to start the game and showed how dominant we can be.

“It obviously worked because it was a much better second-half performance from us.”

Pennell praised the on-the-field influences of skipper Gerrit-Jan van Velze (GJ) and former captain Jonathan Thomas.

“We have some superb leaders on the field with a lot of experience like GJ and Jonathan Thom - as up-front,” said Pennell.

He added: “Smithy (Sam Smith) did really well and took his chances well and we have to give credit to the guys who are putting him into space.

“Jonny Arr threw an awesome pass to put Smithy over in the corner.

“Smithy is a really potent weapon in our attack and is key in our defence, too, so, hopefully, that will continue.”

Only one team will gain pro - motion to the Premiership via the end-of-season Championship play-offs, Pennell is confident Warriors will be in the mix.

“At this stage, we are not far off where we wanted to be,” he said.

“We have grown a huge amount as a squad since we started back in June and we just need to make sure we keep taking strides for - ward.

“We need to hit the end-of-season play-offs in a good place and, ultimately, get ourselves back to the Premiership and being competitive in it.