FULL-BACK Ben Howard insists Worcester Warriors must lay the ghost of Jersey to rest in tomorrow’s warm-up match in St Peter (2.30pm).

Warriors suffered an ignominious 23-21 reverse when they last travelled to the Channel Islands to face Jersey in the Championship 17 months ago.

Howard, 23, played just one minute of that reverse in March 2015 and is determined for Warriors to banish the memory of that afternoon.

He recalled: “I was on the bench that day and didn’t get too long after replacing Tom Biggs in the final minute.

“Jersey is a tricky place to play when the wind whips up and it was a tough day when they defeated us to end our 24-match unbeaten record.

“Earlier in the season, we also had a tough game against them at Sixways, which we only won by three points in the end. We went over to Jersey and they were fired up for the return match.”

The Islanders were among only two clubs, Bristol being the other, who defeated Warriors during the 2014-15 Championship season which eventually saw Worcester promoted to the Premiership.

Howard said: “It will be good to get out there and gauge ourselves on how we were 17 months ago and where we are now.

“You would expect us to have made some good improvements since we last played Jersey but I am sure they have, too.

“Jersey’s ground is close to the airport, quite open and exposed to the elements and I have heard it’s always windy.

“We have to get out there, it’s our second pre-season game, and give it our all.”

While Warriors finished 10th in their first season back in the top flight, Jersey were sixth in the Championship last term, seven points adrift of a play-off spot.

Howard looks set to retain the full-back berth as Chris Pennell is sidelined with a neck injury, which is expected to keep him out of the opening four or five weeks of the new Premiership season.

Howard was limited to just six appearances from the bench in last season’s Premiership.

However, the former Warwick School pupil scored a try and made impressive breaks in Warriors’ 35-14 defeat by French giants Clermont Auvergne last week.

“We haven’t just had an intensive camp or the long journey across the Alps on a bus like last week, so we’ve got no excuses,” said Howard. “We are really looking forward to this match.”

Jersey won 35-22 at home to Amphill last weekend although the Reds were given a stern test by the National One outfit.

The scoreline was in contrast to their 47-5 rout of Coventry in their previous pre-season outing.

Warriors head coach Carl Hogg said: “I was pleased with the effort we showed in France.

“We had come off the back of a tough 10 days of training and to play against European giants like Clermont and to stick to our task was really pleasing.

“The effort and the application was great. We didn’t have a huge amount of ball to test out our attacking systems, but if you look at the spirit within the group I thought it was a great indicator as to how healthy we are as a squad and as a team.”