WORCESTER Cavaliers continued their fine season with a battling display to narrowly beat The Army 20-14 at Sixways.

First-half tries for Harry Bassett and Jason Harries put a youthful Cavaliers, who reached the Aviva A-League final last month, in the ascendancy along with two penalties and two conversions for Tiff Eden.

But the men in red fought back with Ratu Bulumakau converting his own try before the break.

Despite the Cavaliers spending much time in their opponents' 22, they couldn't capitalise and a late try for Ledua Jope set up a nerve-wracking final few minutes.

Eden missed a late penalty and drop-goal before one final play saw The Army swoop towards the tryline only for Bale Balekinaisaga to knock forward in agonising fashion for the visitors, as the Cavaliers held on.

Eden kicked an early penalty before dragging an effort wide after the visitors were penalised for not releasing.

Ill-discipline cost The Army again as Eden had a third shot at goal and he duly bisected the posts.

The Army looked to fight back but after being thwarted deep in the Cavaliers 22, Worcester moved upfield and Stevens offloaded to Harries who popped the ball to Bassett to dive over. Eden added the extras.

The Army continued to test Mark Hewitt's Cavaliers but a loose pass in their own half allowed wing Harries to storm to the tryline and Eden chipped over his fourth kick.

But the visitors refused to lie down and Bulkumakau managed to find a way over the line before converting.

Eden had another kick at goal when the visitors infringed at the breakdown after the interval but the fly-half couldn't find the target.

The Army were then adjudged to have been held up over the line but they soon got their try when Jope touched down and Bulumakau got the conversion from wide out.

Eden missed a penalty in the final minute and then a drop-goal sailed wide leaving The Army with one final play to try to snatch a win.

Despite getting all the way into the Worcester 22 with plenty of support, Balekinaisaga's knock-on ended proceedings.

Cavaliers: Humphreys, Harries, Stevens, Butler, Watkins, Eden, Bassett; Cosgrove, Singleton, McNulty, Kitchener, Scotland-Williamson, Howling, Sam Smith jnr, Taylor (c).

Replacements: Collins, White, Page, Kerry, Fowles, Shillcock, Hibberd, Hughes.

(blob) Warriors-bound scrum-half Luke Baldwin has joined fellow Championship club Bedford Blues on loan from Bristol until the end of the season.

Baldwin is the second Bristol player to be moving to Worcester in the summer with winger Andy Short also having agreed a switch. He is currently on loan at London Irish.