England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson stole this Powergen National Cup sixth round
tie for Newcastle with a drop goal in the fourth minute of injury time.
Wilkinson scored all Newcastle's points with seven penalties and that drop
goal, which he struck with his right foot after it seemed Kenny Logan hadwon the
match for Wasps with a penalty in the 83rd minute.
Alex King kicked an early penalty for Wasps and in the 20th minute Fraser
Waters went round Inga Tuigamala to score in the corner followed by King's
31st-minute drop goal only serving to emphasise Wasps' superiority.
Within a minute of the restart, King stepped inside the Newcastle defence and
handed on to Joe Worsley for the easiest try he will score this season.
Newcastle should have scored when Stephenson nearly broke through and Richard
Arnold drove it up to the line and Gary Armstrong dived over, butthe scrum half
let the ball slip from his grasp.
When Wasps were penalised Newcastle went for the try and Taione was pulled
down short but Wilkinson landed three penalties, two of them in quick
succession, to cut Wasps' lead to 16-9.
Logan increased Wasps' lead with a 51st-minute penalty but when Wilkinson
kicked his fourth penalty there was a glimmer of real hope for Newcastle.
Logan missed a penalty for Wasps and Wilkinson cut the lead to 19-15 with his
fifth penalty in the 64th minute.
Wilkinson was spot on again in the 69th minute following obstruction byWasps
and the gap was down to just one point at 19-18.
When Tuigamala went on another bullocking run, Wasps were backpedalling and
they conceded a penalty in the 76th minute enabling Wilkinson to give the
Falcons the lead at 21-19.
In injury time, Newcastle skipper Pat Lam, attempting to run the ball out of
defence, conceded a penalty and Logan kicked the resulting penalty to edge Wasps
ahead again.
But Wilkinson, three minutes into injury time, snatched victory from the jaws
of defeat with a drop goal.
Teams:
Newcastle: Walder, Stephenson, Noon, May, Tuigamala, Wilkinson,
Armstrong, Ward, Makin, Hurter, Vyvyan, Grimes, Taione, Dunbar,
Lam.
Replacements: Peel for Ward (69), Balshen for Makin (74),
Arnold for Dunbar (40).
Not Used: Charlton, MacLure, Graham, Weir.
Sin Bin: Tuigamala (80).
Pens: Wilkinson 7. Drop Goals: Wilkinson.
Wasps: Lewsey, Waters, Abbott, Denney, Logan, A. King, Friday,
Dowd, Leota, S. Green, Beardshaw, Jones, Worsley, Volley, Lock.
Replacements: Wood for Friday (60), Jenkins for Lock (69).
Not Used: Leek, Roberts, Barratt, Purdy, Mackenzie.
Sin Bin: Dowd (55).
Tries: Waters, Volley. Pens: A. King, Logan 2. Drop Goals: A. King.
Att: 4,100
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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