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Worcester ended a five-match Premiership losing streak with a close-fought victory over Bristol.

But two tries in quick succession from Steven Luatua and Max Lahiff levelled the score before half-time.

Sione Vailanu put the Warriors back in front and in a second-half with little to separate the sides it proved the decisive score, and enough to secure a much-needed win for the Warriors.

Kick-off at Sixways was pushed back by 30 minutes due to the risk posed by Storm Eunice and the wind had significantly calmed by the time the teams came on to the pitch.

A minute’s applause was then held in tribute to Evesham winger Jack Jeffery, who died on 12 February after sustaining a serious injury while scoring a try for his club.

Worcester had not won in the league since they beat Wasps on 4 December and not since the arrival of new boss Steve Diamond.

But with Van der Merwe in the squad fresh from the Six Nations with Scotland, Worcester took only four minutes to score, with the winger running down the touchline to get on the end of a kick-through from Jamie Shillcock. Beck then got the second, crossing in the corner from close range.

Slowly Bristol built into the match and as the penalty count racked up against the hosts, Luatua bundled over at the second time of asking from an attacking line-out.

Three minutes later Lahiff levelled the scores, picking the ball up from five metres out to finish under the posts.

An impressive try from Vailanu edged Worcester back in front, as he scooped the ball up from the ruck, palmed off two defenders and powered over on the right.

Bristol’s resilience showed when Jack Bates was sent to the bin on the hour for a deliberate knock-on, as the hosts failed to capitalise on their man advantage and put any more points on the board.

The Bears have not been helped by injuries in recent weeks, and the loss of scrum-half Toby Venner – who signed from Gloucester this week – not long after he came on will have added to Pat Lam’s troubles, in a position where the team are already short.

Worcester were unable to break Bristol’s defence to wrap up a bonus-point try, as Billy Searle made a try-saving tackle on Alapati Leiua to deny the visitors a last-gasp surge and confine them to a second consecutive defeat.

Worcester: Shillcock, Humphreys, Hearle, Beck (capt), Van der Merwe, Smith, Simpson; McCallum, Annett, Judge, Garvey, G Kitchener, Batley, Kvesic, Vailanu.

Replacements: Miller, Waller, Tyack, A Kitchener, Clegg, Chudley, Searle, Atkinson.

Bristol: Lloyd; Bates, Radradra, O’Conor, Leiua; Sheedy, Strang; Y Thomas, Kerr, Lahiff, Holmes, Vui, Luatua (capt), D Thomas, Harding.

Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Challenger, Joyce, Jeffries, Venner, Frisch, Purdy.

Sin bin: Jack Bates (60)

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).