THE worst thing Worcester Warriors’ players can do is go into their shells.

That’s the message from flanker Sam Lewis who has backed Warriors to bounce back with a home win over Harlequins a week on Saturday (3pm).

Warriors remain nine points clear of the Aviva Premiership’s drop zone with two games left after bottom club London Irish lost 45-5 to leaders Exeter Chiefs at the weekend.

But Worcester missed the chance to put their relegation fears to bed on Saturday as they slumped to a 30-15 defeat to Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.

A first-half Christian Wade brace and tries from Joe Launchbury and Josh Bassett steered the hosts to an insurmountable 30-3 lead.

Dean Hammond and Josh Adams scored in the final few minutes but it was too little too late as Worcester returned empty-handed.

“We weren’t happy with ourselves in the first half,” Lewis said. “Credit to the boys as we came back in the second half and got a few points under our belts.

“But we are disappointed. Wasps is a tough place to come as they have been killing it at home all season.

“They have got electric backs and made us pay. They are really good off turnover ball and we just gave them a bit too much.”

Wasps were reduced to 14 men on two occasions in the second period as Jack Willis and Jimmy Gopperth saw yellow.

But the visitors failed to register a single point during that time.

Their best chance came on 47 minutes while Willis was in the sin-bin when Michael Dowsett took a tap penalty and fed David Denton only for the back rower to be stripped of the ball close to the try-line.

“It’s just one of those things,” Lewis said. “The boys backed themselves and you can’t fault them for that. The worst thing you can do is go into your shell.

“We back the boys to make decisions and next time I am sure we will get some points from it.”

With no match this weekend Warriors have got two weeks to gear up for their final home game of the season against ninth-placed Quins.

A point will be enough for Worcester to secure their top-flight status as they have won more games than Irish who host high-flying Saracens in the penultimate round of fixtures.

“We will hit the ground running in training this week and hopefully we will get a big result against Quins the following week,” Lewis said.

“I know we are targeting that game. I know the boys will bounce back.”

Worcester are five points behind Northampton Saints who they visit on the final day of the campaign on Saturday, May 5, and Quins.

“London Irish are still going strong and we are quite close to Saints and Quins,” Lewis added.

“Quins are obviously a good side and will want to get a good result but we will back ourselves against them.”