WORCESTER Warriors' dreadful form continued yesterday in a game that perfectly sums up their season so far.

Good in patches, plenty of promise but wasteful in key moments and ultimately the architects of their own downfall.

A nine-point lead early in the second-half, playing against 14 men for 22 minutes of the second period and still unable to come away from the game with a victory.

Gloucester couldn't have done much more to help Warriors secure a rare win but consistent problems were again clear for all to see so let's have a look at the learnings from the game.

Worcester just don't help themselves

Warriors had just scored their second try of the game (penalty try) shortly after the break and with the score at 14-5, and with Gloucester a man light because of Fraser Balmain's yellow card, it was a very strong position to be in.

Given they now have a decent lead and a man up, it's all about playing in the right areas and applying pressure from there.

But twice a couple of minutes after the try, Warriors tried to play from their own 22 and it proved costly.

Both occasions the best option is to clear and not play risky rugby, there is no need for it at that point in the game. In the end, Pennell's knock-on trying to run from deep leads to the Gloucester first try and then Balmain is back on so Worcester failed to capitalise and even gave away a score whilst a man up.

The third try is just all Warriors' doing. Shillcock collects a kick about 5 metres outside his own 22 and instead of taking the ball into contact or attempting a clearing kick, he tries a risky offload that goes straight to the floor and Gloucester score.

So two tries conceded and inside 60 seconds, Worcester have surrendered a nine-point lead and are 19-14 down but both tries are easily avoided.

Nick David is a superstar in the making

Not many people knew much about him before this season but in what has been a difficult campaign for the club, the nippy winger has been one of the few major positives to come out of it.

Obviously, his score in the first minute of the game was the highlight but he always looks dangerous on the ball and he can create something from anything.

The speed and change of direction he showed for his try was world class and he evades four tacklers on the way to the try line.

He carried for 129 metres from just six carries in all throughout the 80 minutes and should have had an assist in the last few minutes had it not been for Carreras' illegal intervention.

The 22-year old has been linked with a move away from the club and Worcester will be desperate to keep him but he deserves to be playing at the highest level.

Wasteful Warriors

It's become a worrying theme that Worcester continue to struggle to make the most of advantageous positions.

On a number of occasions in the first-half Warriors managed to enter the Gloucester 22 but each time, other than Nick David's score in the first minute, they made nothing of it.

Once a lineout was stolen from Gloucester, Shillcock and Francois Venter both gave up needless penalties on two separate incidents as Worcester looked to build some momentum.

In the second half it was the same issue and whether it's being held up at a maul or a knock on or penalty, something always seems to prevent them from taking their chance.

Lineout woes

It has been a theme of late for one reason or another and it was better yesterday until Niall Annett went off and Isaac Miller came on.

twice in succession Miller got it wrong at the lineout but sometimes you have to consider whether the call was correct or was there an issue with the jumpers, so you can't say it was all Miller's fault.

The front row was replaced after 50 minutes or so and George Merrick also came on with 20 minutes to play and from there was where the lineout really faltered.

They did score a try from the driving maul which has been a rarity this season so it was a tale of two halves at the lineout but it remains something that needs to be addressed.