While there was little in the way of free-flowing attack from the hosts, the strength of character and determination in closing out such a fiercely-contested game will have the Newcastle troops in good shape as they head to France for Friday's crunch European tie with Brive, having been forced to work all the way for four hard-earned Premiership points.
Right from the off the hosts knew they were going to have their work cut out as a pumped up visiting team won a penalty just inside the Falcons half, former Newcastle fly half Loki Crichton falling just inches short with a long range penalty attempt.
Opposite number Wilkinson made no mistake with his opening effort on ten minutes, an elementary dink between the posts from ten metres out as prop Darren Morris was penalised for use of the boot on scrum half James Grindal.
With Crichton kicking the corners at his former home ground, Newcastle were made to defend for their lives as Thinus Delport and hooker Aleki Lutui were both held up over the try line.
But the pressure finally told from the resulting scrum on the half hour as debutant wing Miles Benjamin exploited an overlap to score in the left corner from a set scrum move, deft handling from Crichton exploiting the decoy runners to create the space out wide.
The Samoan's conversion attempt was halted by the Kingston Park breeze just inches short of the crossbar, and the Falcons managed to sneak the most slender of half time leads courtesy of a second Wilkinson penalty from in front of the posts as Worcester's indiscipline told.
Like the first half there was little in the way of clear-cut scoring chances in the final 40 for the hosts as they failed to summon up the same creativity which had seen them to a rare and memorable away victory at Saracens just seven days earlier.
But this was a day for blood and guts, taking your chances when they came, which is exactly what Wilkinson did in slotting his third penalty of the afternoon, this time from 30 metres out for yet another slowing down offence at the ruck.
With Tom May switched to fullback and Mathew Tait moved back to outside centre the Falcons enjoyed a more solid finish to proceedings than the frantic defensive play of the opening half, but nonetheless had to earn their corn by absorbing incessant visiting pressure in their own 22.
All Black Rico Gear was denied a try in the right corner from a Crichton cross kick, but just before the hour mark the Warriors got the try that their endeavour had deserved, when Tuitupou's crafty decoy run allowed Gear to hit the line at pace and blast a path over the try line down the left hand side to take a 12-9 lead.
Wilkinson drew the sides level with a penalty from 40 metres out as May was hit late after chipping ahead, but there was relief for the home fans as both Lutui and Delport had tries chalked off by referee Rob Debney in the closing 15 minutes – Delport's for a forward pass and Lutui for being held up over the try line.
In the end it proved costly as the Falcons finally broke out of their own 22 courtesy of some stoic defence, allowing Wilkinson to drop back in to the shotgun and hammer home a peach of a drop goal with the left boot from fully 40 metres out to claim a three-point lead.
In the end it was to prove the only difference between the two sides, as some resolute pick-and-go play from the home pack saw off the final two minutes of playing time to record a gutsy and hard-earned four points.
Newcastle Falcons:
Pens: Wilkinson 4
Drop goals: Wilkinson
Worcester Warriors:
Tries: Benjamin, Gear
Cons: Crichton
Newcastle Falcons:
15 Mathew Tait
14 Tom May
13 Tim Visser (Ollie Phillips, 67)
12 Toby Flood
11 John Rudd
10 Jonny Wilkinson
9 James Grindal (Lee Dickson, 57)
1 Jon Golding (Micky Ward, 52)
2 Andy Long (Matt Thompson, 57)
3 Carl Hayman
4 Andy Perry
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Geoff Parling (captain, Russell Winter, 57)
7 Ben Woods
8 Brent Wilson
Worcester Warriors:
15 Thinus Delport
14 Rico Gear
13 Dale Rasmussen
12 Sam Tuitupou
11 Miles Benjamin
10 Loki Crichton
9 Matt Powell (Jonny Arr, 73)
1 Darren Morris (Shaun Ruwers, 73)
2 Aleki Lutui
3 Tevita Taumoepeau (Matt Mullan, 75)
4 Greg Rawlinson
5 Craig Gillies (Will Bowley, 64)
6 Tom Wood (Gavin Quinnell, 70)
7 Pat Sanderson (captain)
8 Drew Hickey
Referee: Rob Debney
Attendance: 7,219
