Jonny Wilkinson kicked the Premiership's last remaining unbeaten record into
oblivion with a match-winning Madejski Stadium performance for Newcastle.
The England fly-half marked his first-ever appearance as Newcastle captain
with two late penalties after the Falcons looked to have been undone by Irish
points machine Barry Everitt.
Everitt landed five penalties and dropped a goal to give the home side a
five-point lead well into the final quarter.
But after Wilkinson had reduced the arrears to 18-16, he calmly slotted his
fourth and fifth successful penalties, and Irish were sunk.
Falcons centre Tom May scored the solitary try of a scrappy encounter, but
Everitt's pinpoint accuracy proved priceless for Irish in their quest to make it
four games unbeaten.
Newcastle though, who are notoriously poor travellers, had other ideas.
The second half appearance of international substitutes Pat Lam, Inga
Tuigamala and George Graham tightened things up and gave Newcastle much better
shape. However hard Irish huffed and puffed, they couldn't penetrate an
impressive Falcons defence.
Wilkinson finished with 17 points, landing all six of his kicks at goal, and
Irish were left to reflect on what might have been.
Everitt and Wilkinson dominated the opening exchanges, each kicking two
penalties, but Newcastle led at the break courtesy of May's 39th-minute try.
Forwards John Dunbar, Epi Taione and Doddie Weir linked impressively to create
the opening for May, who sprinted 20 metres unopposed.
But three further Everitt penalties - like Wilkinson, he didn't miss a kick -
put Irish 15-13 in front after 55 minutes.
Try-scoring opportunities were at a premium, and when Everitt dropped a
30-metre goal with just 15 minutes remaining, it looked like being the decisive
act.
Wilkinson though displayed typical coolness under pressure to orchestrate
Newcastle's late show.
Irish player-coach Brendan Venter was penalised by referee Tony Spreadbury for
tackling Tuigamala without the ball, and that enabled Wilkinson to step up from
45 metres out and bisect the posts.
Before Irish could recover, they infringed the game and Wilkinson predictably
found the target, guaranteeing an important victory for Newcastle, who are among
several clubs in a congested mid-table pack.
Irish had the scant consolation of a bonus point, but victory would have taken
them second in the Premiership table behind Leicester, and the players'
expressions as they left the pitch told a graphic story.
Teams:
London Irish:
Hatley, Kirke, Hardwick, Strudwick, Fahrensohn,
Cockle, Danaher, Sheasby, Edwards, Everitt, Sackey, Venter,
Bishop, Cunningham, Horak.
Replacements: Drotske for Hatley (50), Worsley for Kirke (50),
Halford for Hardwick (50), Delaney for Fahrensohn (62),
Halvey for Cockle (64), Hoadley for Sackey (41).
Not Used: Barrett.
Pens: Everitt 5.
Drop Goals: Everitt.
Newcastle: Ward, Balshen, Peel,
Vyvyan, Weir, Taione, Arnold,
Arnold, Dunbar, Charlton, Wilkinson, Stephenson, May, Noon,
Botham, Walder, Devonshire.
Replacements: Graham for Peel (53), Devonshire for Arnold (28),
Devonshire for Arnold (70), Lam for Dunbar (53),
Tuigamala for May (68), Arnold for Devonshire (30).
Not Used: Armstrong, Howe, Hamilton.
Tries: May. Cons: Wilkinson. Pens: Wilkinson 5.
Att: 5,419
Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).
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