DIRECTOR of rugby Alan Solomons re-emphasised Worcester Warriors’ drive for consistency as they aim to steer clear of the jaws of relegation from the Gallagher Premiership.

At the halfway point in the campaign Warriors are second from bottom, level on points with basement dwellers Newcastle Falcons who picked up a bonus point from a 35-28 defeat at Bristol Bears yesterday.

This season has seen Worcester experience the joys of stunning Leicester Tigers at Welford Road and thrashing rivals Bristol at Sixways.

Their home win over Harlequins last month also saw them briefly hold sixth spot.

But Warriors have lost eight of their first 11 league matches, including a 25-17 loss at Saracens on Saturday, and now only a better points difference than Falcons is keeping them out of the drop zone.

Solomons felt Worcester had taken “a couple of steps forwards” only to take “a step or two back” this term.

“The biggest thing for us and it’s the same point we have made before is that we need to be more consistent,” Solomons said.

“We have had some really good performances but then at other times we have not played as well.

“We need to get that right and that’s what we have been talking about all season.

“We spoke about it last year as well.

“Sometimes you take a couple of steps forward and then you take a step or two back.

“But we have got to get there as that is the key.

“If we can perform consistently in the Premiership then we will give ourselves a real opportunity (of climbing the table).”

Although Worcester left Allianz Park empty-handed Solomons was “very proud” of their showing against defending champions Saracens as they led 17-11 at half-time.

And Solomons has urged his men to back it up with another strong display in Saturday’s showdown with Bath at Sixways (3pm).

“Chris (Pennell) spoke excellently in the huddle afterwards more or less along those lines,” Solomons said.

“We have shown what we can do against the top sides but we now need to produce a really good performance in front of our home crowd next weekend.”

Worcester-born Pennell, 31, said it was important he and his team-mates delivered a performance they could be “proud of” against Bath.

“It’s a bit of a cliché but we need an 80-minute performance,” Pennell said.

“Against one of the best sides in Europe we showed what we are capable of.

“If we are honest with ourselves Saracens probably weren’t at the races in the first half but we need to also give ourselves credit for the way we controlled the game.

“The turning point was when we came out for the second half and we probably got a little bit too loose and didn’t quite have that same level of control that we did in the first 40.

“Ultimately that's probably what cost us.”

The full-back added: “This only sets a marker if we do something about it next weekend.

“It all now rides on us coming out and putting in a performance that we can be proud of at home. Then we can look back and say that the momentum came from this game (against Saracens).

“Anything less than that then this Saturday gets forgotten and it is just another fixture gone by.”