A LAST-minute penalty from Ryan Lamb gave Worcester Warriors a nail-biting 32-29 victory against Jersey in the Greene King IPA Championship at Sixways.

Warriors surrendered a 17-point lead in a dramatic evening before Lamb edged them to their seventh successive league victory and to the top of the table.

Warriors led 17-5 at the interval but the Islanders showed tremendous spirit to level the match at 22-22 after 66 minutes and again at 29-29.

England full-back Chris Pennell and former Wales international Jonathan Thomas returned after injury to play the final 30 minutes.

Mat Gilbert opened Warriors’ account from a 12th-minute driving maul after the hosts declined a shot at goal.

Fly-half Lamb converted and Warriors kept up the intensity, going further ahead in the 21st minute. Jersey were penalised at a scrum and Lamb slotted the penalty.

Warriors remained on the front foot and Val Rapava Ruskin notched the hosts’ second try in the 30th minute.

In almost identical fashion to Warriors’ opener, Gerrit-Jan van Velze caught the line-out and the Georgian prop was pushed over the line.

Lamb made no mistake with the conversion to put Warriors 17-0 ahead.

Jersey had their best spell towards the end of the first-half after Warriors had been caught offside at the restart following Ruskin’s try. They won three quick-fire penalties in the hosts’ 22 and the Islanders eventually got their reward with a 36th-minute try from a catch-and-drive.

Michael Noone crashed over in the corner but Jonny Bentley’s conversion was off-target.

Gilbert scored his second try from another catch-and-drive in the 46th minute.

But Jersey made an immediate reply, Noone finishing off a driving maul and Bentley slotted the conversion to cut the lead to 22-12.

Warriors were penalised at a scrum and Bentley struck the penalty in the 58th minute to reduce the deficit to just seven points.

Jersey put Warriors under the cosh and Mike Williams was shown a yellow card in the 64th minute. It got worse when Jersey were awarded a penalty try soon afterwards and Bentley levelled the match.

Jersey were reduced to 14 men when Sam Lockwood was yellow-carded with seven minutes remaining.

From the resulting scrum, Warriors regained the lead from a penalty try and Lamb kicked the conversion.

With just three minutes left, Drew Locke intercepted from inside his own half to score and Bentley levelled again.

But, with almost the last play, Jersey were penalised and Lamb kicked Warriors to a remarkable victory.

Warriors: Howard, Smith (Pennell 50), Stelling, Mills (Symons 61), Biggs, Lamb, Mulchrone, Ruskin, Annett, Daniels, Williams, O’Shea, Cox, Gilbert (Thomas 50), van Velze. Replacements: Sowrey, Bower, O’Donnell, Bruzulier, Attendance: 5,906.