Newcastle Falcons bowed out of the Heineken Cup despite a brave second half fight back by their young stars in France.

The Falcons fielded eight players under 22 and their enthusiasm and commitment was without question.

Unfortunately for Rob Andrew's Premiership outfit, Toulouse's veteran French international Emile Ntamack was returning for his first European game this season and he steered the home side into a 20-point lead which the Falcons could not cut back.

Ntamack set Toulouse's game plan in motion with a great running try in the opening five minutes.

The 32-year-old French centre spread the Newcastle defence and Michele Marfaing had the speed to score and then kick the conversion.

Although Newcastle had begun the scoring with a penalty by Dave Walder - deputising at fly-half for the injured Jonny Wilkinson - they were stretched by the incisive running of the Toulouse backs.

Hooker Yannick Bru squeezed in at the corner flag and scrum half and man of the match Frederic Michalak promised a rout for the home side.

But the Falcons never panicked and on the stroke of half-time kicked a penalty to touch and from the lineout on the Toulouse try line Tongan Epi Taione had the height and strength to withstand Michalak's tackle.

Toulouse caught the Falcons with a cruel blow in first-half stoppage time when full-back Clement Poitreneau sold a fantastic dummy to let in winger Cedric Heymans.

Replacement scrum-half Hall Charlton, followed by Gareth McClure and Phil Dowson, put plenty of life into a 20-minute siege inside the Toulouse 22-metre zone.

Only desperate kicking into touch by the Toulouse defenders kept them at bay and it when Poitreneau who cleverly kicked inside Richardson and Xavier Garbajosa had an easy run-in.

It cemented Newcastle's third successive defeat, and even they are only halfway through the qualifying campaign, in a group containing heavyweights Leinster and Newport, the north-east side now only have pride to play for.