EXPERIENCED back-row forward Matt Cox insists Worcester Warriors owe Russian outfit Enisei-STM in today’s clash at Sixways (2pm).

In-form Cox was part of the Warriors side who crashed to a humiliating 19-12 defeat against the minnows at Moscow’s Slava Stadium in October.

Neither club can now qualify for the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup but Warriors will be keen to avoid finishing bottom of Pool Three.

“We owe Enisei something I think,” said Cox who was outstanding for Warriors in their 17-14 loss at French club Brive last weekend.

“We had to travel to Moscow (to play Enisei) and, with all respect to them, it looked like a prison pitch. It was very narrow and like a cabbage patch because it was soft underfoot and made the game very slow.

“I think it played into their hands. They are fantastic athletes, big and strong, and we just need to run them around a bit.

“That pitch gave them more rest time and more breaks.

“We need to play with high-tempo and work-rate and keep the ball alive and I think some of the Brive boys were surprised how fit we were last weekend.”

Enisei have won two pool matches on home soil but struggled on their travels, losing 38-18 at table-topping Brive and 34-10 at Newport Gwent Dragons.

Cox, 28, believes Warriors can build on their dogged display in Brive and a much-needed win could “shift some momentum into the club”.

“We had a crack at Brive, we’ve now got Enisei and we can start to shift some momentum into the club,” said Cox.

“It was a tough gig in France against Brive and we should have beaten them.

“We’ve got Enisei and we need to beat them. We need a win.”

Warriors are second from bottom in the Aviva Premiership but do not return to league action until a visit from reigning champions Saracens on February 11.

After tackling Enisei, Warriors host Harlequins in the Anglo-Welsh Cup on January 28 before visiting Cardiff Blues in the same competition seven days later.

Reflecting on Warriors’ last-gasp defeat in Brive, Redditch-born Cox admitted it had been “heart-breaking” to see Gaetan Germain slot the hosts’ winning penalty in the final play.

“You put 79-and-a half minutes into it and then concede a penalty 45 metres out from a driving maul,” said Cox.

“It was heart-breaking. I don’t think the Brive lad could have kicked it any straighter between the posts.

“We had been trying to put Millsy (Ryan Mills) into the pocket for a kick at the other end.

“But some of our lads didn’t have much left in the tank and we were just trying to get some shape.

“We went into a slow play and tried to wait for Millsy and got turned over.”

Cox added: “We had been on Brive’s 22 and were looking to finish the match ourselves until one error or one bit of momentum changed everything.”