Gloucester missed an opportunity to go back to the top of the Guinness Premiership – thanks to scores from two men with strong Kingsholm connections.

Former Gloucester winger Marcel Garvey opened the scoring with a try for Worcester, before Willie Walker – on loan at Sixways from Kingsholm – landed three penalties to deny his parent club.

Gloucester battered away for much of the second period – but not could find a breakthrough as Worcester held firm to all but end Bristol's hopes of avoiding relegation from the top flight.

In the process, they delivered a significant dent to Gloucester's hopes of landing a home Premiership semi-final.

Worcester struck first, with Garvey jinking past Will James and Rory Lawson after taking Ryan Powell's pass, then holding off Charlie Sharples to open the scoring.

Gloucester had been on top up to that point but had failed to capitalise, with Carlos Spencer missing a relatively routine penalty inside the opening two minutes.

Matthew Watkins also put down Anthony Allen's pass when 15 metres from the line, while Olly Morgan made a devastating break, only to fail to find his man.

Garvey, a Gloucester-born product of the Kingsholm academy, made his hometown club pay for their early profligacy when he gave Worcester the lead.

Walker – who is on loan at Sixways from Gloucester – failed with the conversion, but was soon finding his range.

Gloucester were briefly in front, though, going ahead when referee Dave Pearson awarded a penalty try after judging Worcester had twice collapsed a five-metre scrum. Spencer made no mistake to see his side into a 7-5 lead.

But Walker kicked Worcester into the lead from 40 metres after Olivier Azam entered a ruck from the side.

He then extended their advantage with two further penalties – one after a Gloucester player had handled at a ruck, the other when Luke Narraway was penalised for obstruction.

There was still time for Garvey to make a try-saving tackle on Apo Satala – and for Spencer to reduce Gloucester's deficit with a penalty – before the break.

Gloucester set up camp in the Worcester 22 after half-time – and would have gone in front but for twice knocking on with the line in sight.

On the first occasion, they looked certain to score, Spencer starting and then, unintentionally, ending the move. His initial break set the tone for Gloucester's attack, but after several phases, he was the man who lost a control of the ball a few metres short.

The visitors then pierced the Worcester defence again, Iain Balshaw and Morgan combining to send Luke Narraway away. The No 8 juggled the ball, Powell caught up with him, and as he tried to free Morgan, he lost possession two metres from the line.

Gloucester were comfortably on top – but a combination of their own wastefulness and Worcester's committed defence ensured the hosts' lead was in tact heading into the closing stages.

Walker and Olly Barkley both failed with long-range penalties for their respective sides as Worcester held on to all but guarantee their Premiership survival while denying their neighbours top spot.

Worcester: C Latham (M Jones 16); M Benjamin, R Gear, D Rasmussen, M Garvey; W Walker, R Powell; M Mullan, C Fortey (A Lutui 67), C Black (D Morris 31), G Rawlinson, W Bowley, J Collins (N Talei 55), P Sanderson (capt), K Horstmann. Reps not used: C Gillies, J Arr, A Grove.

Scorers: Try – Garvey. Pens – Walker (3).

Gloucester: O Morgan; I Balshaw, M Watkins, A Allen, C Sharples (O Barkley 61); C Spencer (R Lamb 71), R Lawson (G Cooper 79); N Wood, O Azam (capt), G Somerville, W James (A Eustace 71), A Brown, A Satala, A Qera (A Hazell 61), L Narraway. Reps not used: S Lawson, J Forster.

Scorers: Try – penalty. Con – Spencer. Pen – Spencer.

Ref: D Pearson. Att: 12,024.