THE expected rout at The Stoop materialised as a youthful Worcester Warriors side were put to the sword by title-chasing Harlequins.

The hosts began the game as 100-1-on favourites and the bookies were not wrong as the Sixways kids struggled to keep up, despite several bright spells in the first-half.

With Worcester beginning the game as massive under-dogs, they suffered a significant set-back as early as the second minute when experienced hooker Chris Fortey was sent to the sin bin for a crude high tackle on Will Skinner.

Three minutes after Fortey left the field, the hosts opened their account as hooker Tani Fuga burrowed over the line following a series of rucks. Fly-half Chris Malone added the extras.

Against the odds, Warriors scored the next try. Wing Michael Penn, the brother of Kidderminster Harriers midfielder Russ, made a break down the outside before finding opposite winger Charlie Fellows with an inside pass, for the former King's School pupil to dive over. Fly-half Joey Carlisle slotted the conversion from out wide to level the scores.

As they often do, though, the men from Sixways failed to back up their score with solid defence as Quins scored their second try just two minutes later. England scrum-half Danny Care showed a fine turn of pace to break from a ruck on the Worcester 22 and scorched over for the try line, before Malone made sure it was a seven-pointer.

Quins won a succession of first-half penalties, but steadfastly refused to go for the posts, as they searched for the all-important try bonus point. This tactic soon paid dividends as they opted to kick to the corner from in front of the posts.

The hosts won clean line-out ball and drove up to the visitors' line, before blindside flanker Chris Robshaw powered through a gap and touched down.

The second-half began in fine style for Mike Ruddock's team as Penn made a scything break deep into Quins territory before finding Hal Luscombe in support. From the ensuing ruck, Shaun Ruwers barged his way over and Carlisle made it 19-14 with the simple kick.

Once again, though, Worcester conceded a try immediately after scoring themselves. The hosts flooded right before quickly sending the ball back left where a long pass ended in the grateful hands of England under 20 centre Jordan Turner-Hall, who flopped over the line for the bonus point try.

Shortly afterwards, winger Ugo Monye got his name on the scoresheet when he all-too-easily carried Carlisle over the line with him. The wayward Malone once again failed to add the extras.

With Graham Kitchener in the bin after an offence at the breakdown, Quins scored their sixth try of the night as Mike Brown touched down after some slick handling. Number seven wasn't far behind when replacement back-rower Nick Easter barged over and replacement Waisea Luveniyali slotted the conversion. Easter then claimed another score, which Luveniyali improved, as the Worcester younsgters wilted.

The rout was completed with tries by winger Tom Williams and Easter's hat-trick score in the final couple of minutes.

Warriors: Crichton 5 (for Crook, 62, 6); Penn (for Arr, 49) 7, Luscombe 7, King 6, Fellows 7; Carlisle 5, M Powell 6; Gilding 6, Fortey 5 (for Page, 69, 6), Ruwers 5 (for Davies, 69, 6), Lyons 6, Gillies 6, Kitchener 6, Abbott 7, T Wood 6 (for R Wood, 73, 6).

Referee: David Rose.

Attendance: 10,446.