This game was billed as a must win for both sides and both coaches made changes to their sides going into this match looking to pick up the first win of the season.
The desperation for a result perhaps showed after just three minutes when Shane Drahm snatched at an attempted drop goal from 25 metres out. It was not long before he did get an easier chance to take the lead when Worcester were awarded a penalty after five metres. He did strike this attempt cleanly t make it 3-0.
Leeds were struck with another blow after 12 minutes when captain Stuart Hooper was sin binned for a late tackle on Drahm, who made the most of the offence before rejoining play.
However, that only seemed to spark Leeds into life and they had their best spell of the game soon after. Hepworth and Biggs combined down the Main Stand side to create a great chance before ball was eventually recycled to Alberto Di Bernardo who levelled the score after 18 minutes.
Three minutes later he took the lead with a penalty. Bedford did brilliantly to deal with a Drahm chip and chase before offloading to Goodridge. The former Gloucester man kicked ahead and chased down field. Eventually the pressure told and Leeds were awarded a penalty by referee Rob Debney which the Argentinean cooly slotted over. Hooper then returned to the field after his side had taken the lead in his absence.
The visitors had talked about their new expansive game but they made too many errors to show any of that skill and Leeds were keen to counter attack at every opportunity. On one such occasion, Leeds moved the ball wide and Worcester were penalised for hands in at the ruck 46 metres out. Di Bernardo elected to kick and whilst his attempt had the required length it drifted wide to the right.
Leeds continued to have the lion share of good chances but Worcester still looked to ask quesions of the Leeds defence. However, it took a special piece of play to set up the first try of the game and it came from Di Bernardo. He had just attempted a drop goal and from the restart the ball came to him, he chipped over the defence before hacking on to beat the last man. The fly half then regathered and passed back inside to Stuart Hooper who galloped over for his second try of the season after 36 minutes.
Worcester did hit back on the stroke of half time with a Drahm penalty but Leeds still lead 13-6 at the interval.
The second half saw Worcester come out fired up and they took the game to Leeds in the opening exchanges. However, Leeds came up with all the answers in defence and were then unlucky to be penalised under the Worcester posts when Di Bernardo and Drahm both went up for a ball but the Leeds man as adjudged to have taken the man out in the air.
The only way Worcester appeared to be able to get on the scoreboard was through the whistle of referee Debney and he penalised Calum Clark for a silly late tackle on Drahm and gave the Australian the chance to kick his side back to within four points at 13-9 after 51 minutes.
However, Leeds took control of the game near the hour mark with two tries in four minutes. Worcester scrum half Ryan Powell lost control of the ball 20 metres from the Leeds line and Jonny Hepworth latched on the loose ball before racing up field 70 metres to score. Four minutes later, Jon Goodridge was fastest to react as Worcester lost control of a chip ahead by Tom Biggs to score. Unfortunately, Di Bernardo was unable to convert either try from wide out but Leeds had a commanding 23-9 lead and were searching for a try bonus point.
However, the home side were given a wake up call after 70 minutes when replacement fly half Loki Crichton forced his way over from close range for Worcester. Crucially, Drahm missed the conversion so the visitors remained nine points adrift.
That gap was extended two minutes later when man of the match Alberto Di Bernardo kicked a drop goal however credit to Worcester they came back at Leeds once again and scored their third try. Leeds had just had Rob Rawlinson sin binned for an off the ball incident and Worcester made the numbers count and Ryan Powell got over. This time Drahm did convert and set up a tense finish at Headingley Carnegie.
The game ended in incredible scenes as Worcester threw everything at Leeds, again assisted by the referees whistle, but the Stuart Lancaster's brave side held firm and secured their first win of the season to lift them off the foot of the Guinness Premiership.

Leeds: Goodridge, Hinton, Hepworth, Blackett, Biggs, Di Bernardo, Bedford, Pala'amo, Ma'asi, Noon, Hooper, Lund, Oakley, Clark, Lock.
Replacements: Cusack for Noon (60), Rawlinson for Ma'asi (47), McGee for Pala'amo (66), Myall for Oakley (71), Brooks, Welding, Holtby
Worcester: Drahm, Delport, Rasmussen, Tucker, Garvey, Brown, Powell, Windo, Fortey, Horsman, Murphy, Gillies, Hickey, Sanderson, Horstmann.
Replacements: Morris for Windo (52), Taumoepeau for Horsman (44), Lutui for Fortey (44), Bowley for Murphy (68), Quinnell for Horstmann (58), R Powell for M Powell (47), Crichton for Brown (62)
Attendance: 4,516