There was not much between these two teams in four meetings last season and
there was not much in it again today when the two sides clashed at Kingston Park
in the Zurich Premiership.
It took a 79th-minute drop goal from Paul Burke, who sank the Falcons at The
Stoop last season, that snatched a share of the points for Harlequins, who had
lost their two opening Premiership games.
Newcastle spilled an early chance when Jon Dunbar knocked on as he charged
through following a line-out, but a devastating tackle from Gary Armstrong on
Roy Winters when the No.8 tried to pick up from a scrum and break out led to a
penalty which Jonny Wilkinson knocked over in the fifth minute.
Burke levelled the scores after nine minutes when Dunbar was caught not
binding at the scrum in front of his own posts, but then Tom May chipped ahead,
booted the ball on again and Quins wing Dan Luger was caught hanging on in the
tackle right on his line.
Newcastle went for touch in the corner but made a mess of the line-out drive
and also the passing move to waste a great chance and it looked like Michael
Stephenson had scored but the pass was forward before Wilkinson was wide with a
long-range penalty in the 20th minute.
Yet again Newcastle were having great difficulty in keeping hold of the ball
and Inga Tuigamala knocked on 10 metres from the Harlequins line from a scrum
with the London side looking rocky.
Just before half-time Wilkinson landed his second penalty for offside and with
the rain pouring down, Burke just failed to take the sides in at the break level
when he missed a kick from the touchline.
It was almost impossible conditions at the start of the second half with
torrential rain forcing errors but Wilkinson was close with a drop-goal attempt
and then he was short with a penalty kick from just inside halfway.
Dunbar looked to be through for a try from a line-out tap by Hugh Vyvyan but
after breaking the first tackle the big flanker lost the ball 10 metres out.
It sparked a period of intense Newcastle pressure, but both sides were having
great difficulty hanging on to the wet ball and it was Quins who scored when
Burke put over a snap drop-goal with a minute of normal time left.
Teams
Newcastle: Graham, Howe, Peel, Vyvyan, Grimes, Dunbar, Arnold,
Lam, Armstrong, Wilkinson, Tuigamala, May, Noon, Stephenson,
Walder.
Replacements: Balshen for Howe (62), Taione for Dunbar (73),
Devonshire for Arnold (66).
Not Used: Charlton, MacLure, Weir, Ward.
Pens: Wilkinson 2.
Harlequins: Leonard, Wood, Olver, Morgan, Davison,
White-Cooper, Tamarua, Winters, Bemand, Burke, Luger, Bell,
Burrows, Moore, Gollings.
Replacements: Greenstock for Burrows (67).
Not Used: Fuga, Starr, Codling, Alesbrook, M. Powell, Mapletoft.
Pens: Burke.
Drop Goals: Burke.
Att: 5,551
Ref: Chuck Muir (Langholm).
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