Strange's kicking had been near sublime throughout the game so it was a cruel blow. He had kicked seven penalties out of eight and was striking the ball well.

But Bristol could and maybe should have had the game in the bag by that point in any case. They opened up Worcester on so many occasions but just couldn't finish the move off. On the other hand, Worcester had three real chances and took the lot, aided on two occasions by a key missed tackle by a Bristol defender.

In addition, the Warriors defence did not hesitate to kill the ball or fail to roll away whenever Bristol got close as two yellow cards and seven Strange penalties will testify. Such tactics will win games but few friends.

Farewell for the final time

(c) Martin Bennett

Bristol will also be baffled as to why referee Ashley Rowden ruled advantage over when he seemed set to award Bristol a penalty just to the right of the sticks with just a minute to play. Bristol made no ground and seemed to gain no advantage at all.

But the result is in the book. Worcester took the win through Shane Drahm's late, long range penalty and left many on the terraces in floods of tears as the reality sank home that life at the Mem was over.    

Worcester gathered their own kick off and started brightly whereas Bristol were denied a huge territorial gain as Shaun Perry's long kick bounced just the wrong side of the corner flag and ran dead bringing play all the way back.

The bad luck was compounded as Sam Cox, on his Memorial Stadium farewell, missed a tackle on Warriors' full back Chris Pennell who drew the last man to put Miles Benjamin into score in the corner. 5-0 to the visitors after five minutes.

Bristol regrouped and maintained possession well to earn a penalty as Worcester killed the ball on the deck. Jason Strange, also making his Mem farewell, slotted the kick with ease to narrow the gap to 5-3.

21 points the final tally for Jason Strange

(c) Martin Bennett

Worcester themselves then applied some real pressure deep in the Bristol 22 until a key turnover won possession for Bristol and Shaun Perry cleared downfield. Perry followed up and won a penalty as Pennell held onto the ball after the tackle and Strange landed a long penalty for 6-5 after 13 minutes.

Bristol enjoyed a good spell of possession and David Lemi and Lee Robinson both got their hands on the ball in good positions. Lemi almost went in as he picked off a long Worcester pass but the defence got back to smother the danger.

Bristol were able to kick for the corner after a penalty award but were held out and Lee Robinson almost made the line. But advantage was being played and Strange made the score 9-5 after 21 minutes.

Luke Arscott then had a scare as he had his clearance charged down in his own 22 but recovered magnificently to get back to fall onto the loose ball despite two Worcester attackers upon him.

Worcester though had a chance to narrow the margin as Bristol made a hash of their own scrum ball and were penalised for holding on but Carlisle's kick into the wind fell short.

Iain Grieve was in fine marauding form and he managed a charge down on the Worcester 22 but Matt Powell was back quickly to rescue the situation.

But Strange nudged Bristol into a 12-5 lead moments later as Worcester gave away yet another penalty with referee Ashley Rowden surely running out of patience.

Rob Higgitt was a deserved Man of the Match

(c) Martin Bennett

Worcester hit back with a good break from Drew Hickey as Worcester recycled ball quickly but Lee Robinson got back well to tackle Hickey and jar the ball loose as real danger threatened.

And referee Rowden did lose his patience with Worcester as Ben Woods made no attempt to retreat from a quick tap penalty, tackled Shaun Perry and was duly yellow carded to leave the Warriors playing the final 10 minutes of the half with 14 men.

Worcester dug deep and Will Bowley took a great angle off a flat pass to burst into the Bristol 22. The home defence got back and just held out at the expense of a 5m scrum.

Worcester went wide and Bristol cut down the runners but were penalised for hands on the floor. Carlisle, however, pushed a simple kick to the left of the posts.

Worcester then wasted a glorious chance as they worked an overlap but James Collins ignored an unmarked Marcel Garvey outside him and the chance was gone.

However, Worcester finally got their reward as a box kick from Perry made no ground. Craig Gillies gathered and Worcester moved into the Bristol 22. The ball was moved right and Sam Tuitupou slipped a tackled in midfield, rounded Luke Arscott and scored. Carlisle converted for 12 all at half time.

It was a disappointing end to the half for Bristol who had enjoyed the better of possession but two missed tackles cost them two tries and Worcester would have been the happier of the two teams with the breeze at their backs in the second half.

David Lemi so nearly unlocked the Worcester defence

(c) Martin Bennett

Bristol replaced Shaun Perry with Graeme Beveridge at half time as the England scrum half had been suffering with a stomach virus for the past few days.

And Bristol started well as they maintained possession through several phases with forwards and backs combining well before earning a penalty in the Worcester 22. Jason Strange duly restored Bristol's lead with his fifth penalty.

Sam Cox lifted the crowd with a superb break as he stormed through a tackle and Mariano Sambucetti did likewise moments later. Grieve was in support on both occasions but the pass didn't go to hand. It was Cox's final contribution and he left the field to massive applause.

Bristol's front row were still up for fight and won a small battle as they won a penalty at a Worcester scrum. Strange extended the lead to 18-12 after 50 minutes with a confident penalty.

Bristol duly proceeded to launch their best attack of the game as Luke Arscott dummied a kick and made a line break from his own 22. Rob Higgitt was in support and made good ground before finding Iain Grieve who stormed into the 22. Miles Benjamin got back but killed the ball and was promptly sinbinned. Strange kicked his seventh penalty for 21-12.

Miles Benjamin hauls down Iain Grieve

(c) Getty Images

Bristol had opened a gap but Worecster came straight back as Grieve was turned over on his own 22. A chip kick cross field found Marcel Garvey as David Lemi slipped over and Rico Gear took a great angle to loop behind Garvey and score in the corner. Shane Drahm converted from the touchline for 21-19.

Bristol promptly carved out an opening of their own but Redford Pennycook ignored or simply didn't see an unmarked Lee Robinson outside him and took the tackle. Bristol maintained possession and looked set to score but Dan Ward-Smith lost the ball in contact.

Bristol's front row then turned back the clock and won another free kick on the Worcester put in five metres from the Warriors line. However, Bristol then conceded a penalty for collapsing the scrum which seemed odd given the position on the field.

The game went into a nervous final quarter with Worcester slightly in the ascendant and David Lemi had to pull off an important intercept and Sambucetti a vital turnover at a ruck.

Roared on by the crowd, Bristol again moved into the Warriors' 22 and again the ball was killed. Strange, however, was narrowly off target for the first time to let Worcester off the hook.

And, Bristol promptly paid a high price for that miss as they were penalised at a set scrum and Shane Drahm landed a long range kick to nudge the Warriors into a narrow 22-21 lead.

Bristol threw the kitchen sink at the visitors in an attempt to win. David Lemi's feet started to sparkle and the diminutive winger looked to have put Lee Robinson in at the corner after a fine break but Robinson was just bundled into touch.

As close as that.....

(c) Getty Images

Again and again Bristol came. With less than a minute remaining, they seemed set to be awarded a straightforward penalty but moved the ball left and referee Rowden ruled that advantage was over. It seemed a bizarre decision.

As time ticked away, the tension rose and Bristol inched closer and closer. As time expired, Beveridge spun the ball back to Strange in the pocket.

Twelve months ago, Craig Gillies cost his side the win here when he was red carded. Today, he was the hero as he reached up and charged down the kick.

The whistle went and Worcester celebrated. An eerie silence settled over the ground as it suddenly seemed to occur to thousands of Bristol supporters that it was all over.

A sad way to sign off but Bristol will be back.