RFU Championship: Moseley 18 Worcester Warriors 37
For most of this exciting match which contained as many spills as thrills, Worcester's internationals could not find their feet.
Indeed the sight of so many big name Test players looking so unsteady brought to mind an image of a bedraggled granny sliding around Royal Ascot in a downpour.
Mud up her tights, coiffured hair long since flopped and her high heels sinking ever deeper into the quagmire, her discomfort was only eased when a gallant D'Arcy-type materialised from thin air to guide her into the debenture holders' suite.
Not only did he do that, though, he also handed her a winning betting slip and, aside from the odd stain, her equilibrium was restored. And so was Worcester's.
Indeed thats virtually what happened and Ian Smith's Moseley were cast in the role as the romantic hero, simply donating the spoils to their guests with inexplicable generosity.
Poor kicking, a failure to retain the ball and missed tackles all cost the Red and Blacks the chance to claim a memorable victory.
Even Richard Hill had to admit afterwards his side had been the recipients of some good fortune.
"They played very well and made life difficult for us," he said. "And but for a couple of not great decisions with 20 minutes to go they could made life exceptionally difficult for us.
"Thankfully they made one or two poor decisions that, with the injection of a few fresh legs, enabled us to get away from them."
Which involved Andy Williams, Callum Black and Tom Arscott all getting away from their respective defenders and from a two-point deficit, in the space of 18 minutes Warriors enjoyed a 19-point lead.
But whatever the Cyclopean inmates at Billesley Common tell you - and there is the odd one-eyed regular - this wasn't merely a case of Moseley allowing the Championship leaders a victory.
The hosts butchered quite a few decent positions but Worcester did likewise with just as many.
Greg Rawlinson dropped the ball going for the line, Jack Abbott ran into Marcel Garvey when only the wing stood between him and a try and Willie Walker and Andy Goode made such a hash of a second half counter attack, it was embarrassing.
If those were the worst three examples there were many more and Moseley could not have had complaint if Worcester had passed the 50-point barrier.
That should not hide the fact that their own backline was considerably more inventive and the infusion of Jonny May had an extremely positive effect.
The young Gloucester winger, in his first dual registered appearance of the season, was the best player on the park by a mile and deserved his well-crafted try.
MOSELEY: Carter; May, MacBurnie, Reay, Styles; Davies, De La Harpe (Robson 63); Voisey (Williams N 40), Caves (Protherough 13-17, 78 (Warner 79)), Sigley (Voisey 63), Lyons, Stott, Maltman, Pons B (Evans 53), Pennycook. Replacements: Thomas, Pons J
WORCESTER: Walker; Garvey, Arscott, Rasmussen, Ripol (Crockett 54); Carlisle (Goode 60), Williams A (Arr 60); Black, Fortey (Lutui 54), Taumoepeau (Douglas 54), Rawlinson (Gillies 54), Kitchener, Best, Abbott, Sanderson (Balding 54)
Referee: Terry Hall (RFU)
