BACK row forwards Mat Gilbert and skipper Huw Taylor were among the try-scorers in Worcester Warriors’ 33-24 home victory against Sale Sharks in a development match.

Warriors trailed 12-5 in the first-half but battled to victory at Sixways, with Josh Adams eventually wrapping up the hosts’ triumph with a try on the full-time whistle.

Centre Max Stelling, lock Darren O’Shea, Gilbert and Taylor played the full match.

Georgian hooker Jaba Bregvadze and props Gareth Milasinovich and Joe Rees all featured for 40 minutes.

The dry conditions meant both sides looked to spread the ball and Sale enjoyed the upper hand in the early stages.

The visitors kicked a series of penalties to touch and took the lead when Tom Brady found himself on the end of a cross-field kick from Tom Morton.

Warriors selected a string of their future first-team stars and included four of the five players called-up to England's Under 20s RBS 6 Nations squad.

The hosts got their first try when Jonas Mikalcius received Stelling's pass on the left and raced towards the line before grounding in the corner.

However, Sale re-took the lead as Morton, a creative force throughout, twisted his way over the line following a superb run from scrum-half James Mitchell.

The match was a close affair as both sides expressed themselves and Warriors added a second try when Gilbert grounded from the bottom of a driving maul.

Jamie Shillcock added the conversion as Warriors drew level at 12-12.

Three Pears Academy Manager Mark Hewitt made a string of changes at the interval as Warriors upped the tempo and attacked Sale at every opportunity.

Taylor nearly went over in the corner after clever work from Warriors' backline but he was bundled into touch.

Replacement fly-half Tiff Eden saw his cross-field kick touched down by a Sale defender with Warriors men bearing down.

Warriors managed to nudge ahead as the referee awarded them a penalty try after a sustained spell of pressure on the Sale try-line. Eden converted to put seven points between the sides.

The scoring continued in rapid fashion as Sale surged down the other end to touch down in the corner through Charlie Ingall after smart work from the Sale backline.

Morton's conversion levelled the match at 19-19 to set up a tense final quarter.

Warriors showed their class again with a fourth try of the night.

Taylor forced his way over the line from a driving maul, with Eden converting from a tight angle.

But Sale refused to give up and reduced the deficit as number eight Matt Rogerson went over following pressure on Warriors’ try-line.

Sale couldn't convert and Warriors held a two-point lead heading into the final five minutes.

And Warriors wrapped up the victory in the dying seconds when Adams was rewarded with a try in the corner.

Perry Humphreys (Craven 19-23, 78) Josh Adams, Max Stelling, Robbie Smith, Jonas Mikalcius (Mayne 78), Jamie Shillcock (Ham 47), Jacob Ham (Eden 42); Derrick Appiah, Jaba Bregvadze (Singleton 40), Gareth Milasinovich (Rees 40), Andrew Kitchener (Hewitt 40), Darren O'Shea, Mat Gilbert, Ben Fowles (Hill 74), Huw Taylor.

Replacements: Jack Singleton, James Page, Joe Rees, Charlie Hewitt, Ted Hill, Tiff Eden, Stan Mayne, Max Craven.