Brendon Daniel scored a hat-trick of tries to send Newcastle tumbling to their third successive home defeat in the Zurich Premiership.

The Falcons are now firmly anchored at the foot of the table while Bristol are on a roll and climbing out of trouble but Daniel's third try was hugely controversial with Newcastle battling back at 15-12 and on the attack when Darren Crompton clearly knocked on.

But Bristol were allowed to go on and Daniel surged over in the corner for a try which decided the match with Newcastle unable to convert their late pressure into points.

Shoguns head coach Peter Thorburn commented: "Brendon has come from outside the team to be a very valuable member of it.

"He is a veritable try machine and there cannot be many better wings in the country than him. We really needed his hat-trick today and I'm delighted for him."

Bristol's Felipe Contepomi did not have the best of days with the boot, missing four kicks at goal but Newcastle also struggled because of the absence of Jonny Wilkinson although Liam Botham did land four out of six attempts.

However, it was Bristol who looked the much sharper outfit after Contepomi's 13th-minute penalty and Daniel profited from a break-out from defence for his first try with Daryl Gibson and Phil Christophers linking to send Daniel in at the corner.

Botham kicked his first penalty shortly afterwards but, just before half-time, he and Jamie Noon stood back when Shane Drahm's chip through bounced and Daniel shot between them to snap up the ball and score.

Contepomi's conversion made it 15-3 before Botham kicked a 41st-minute penalty and was just wide with a 50-metre shot shortly afterwards.

With Newcastle making a much better fist of it in the second half, the Falcons got close when Botham kicked his fourth penalty in the 60th minute and then looked to have scored when Noon cut through and Tom May touched down but the ball had gone forward.

With Newcastle on the attack, Phil Godman's pass to the wing was clearly knocked down by Crompton but the ball rebounded to Daniel who was allowed to go on and score in the corner in the 64th minute.

It was a crucial score and left Newcastle chasing the game in the closing quarter when Michael Stephenson and Ian Peel both went close.

But Botham's penalty attempt in injury-time to salvage a bonus point went wide to complete another miserable day for the Falcons.

Teams:

Newcastle: Newcastle: Shaw, Botham, Noon, May, Stephenson, Godman, Charlton, Peel, Christian, Hurter, Vyvyan, Grimes, Dunbar, Dowson, Arnold.

Not Used: Grindal, Va'a, Isaacson, Devonshire, Thompson, Hamilton, Ward.

Pens: Botham 4.

Bristol: Drahm, Daniel, Higgins, Gibson, Christophers, Contepomi, Pichot, E. Bergamaschi, Johnstone, Crompton, Archer, A. Brown, Salter, Short, Oakley.

Not Used: Skuse, Nelson, S. Morgan, Beattie, Carrington, Rees, Hodgson.

Tries: Daniel 3.

Cons: Contepomi.

Pens: Contepomi.

Att: 3,273

Ref: Chris White (RFU).