Rotherham's season of misery took a turn for the worse at Kingston Park as
they were totally outclassed by a rampant Newcastle side which ran in seven
tries, including a second hat-trick of the season for winger Tom May.
Newcastle could not have made a more sensational start after securing
possession from their own kick-off.
Fly-half David Walder found Michael Stephenson with a long floating pass and
the winger cut deep into Rotherham territory.
They recycled it quickly through the two second rows and hooker Nick Makin was
driven over for the try with exactly one minute on the clock.
Walder landed the conversion and then a penalty when the visitors went over
the top at a ruck 40 metres out, but Rotherham opened their account in the 11th
minute when their fly-half Jonathan Benson put over a short range penalty to
make it 10-3.
Newcastle were running at every opportunity whilst Rotherham continued to
infringe in the loose, and paid the ultimate price when centre Jon Pritchard was
yellow-carded.
Newcastle put the penalty to the corner and secured possession from the
line-out for Walder and Mark Mayerholfer to combine to send in Jamie Noon,
Walder adding the conversion.
Entirely against the run of play Rotherham winger Anthony Elliott latched on
to a sliced kick from Peter Smyth as two Newcastle forwards hesitated. Benson
landed the conversion but there was still time for Walder to put over another
penalty in the 45th minute of the first half.
Just three minutes into the second period and Newcastle continued where they
had left off with Walder initiating a third try for the Falcons. Stephenson
continued the move at speed and May on the overlap had a simple run in with
Walder again on target.
Another blistering attack down the left should have brought Newcastle another
score but their skipper Garath Archer failed to hold the final pass.
Fortunately Rotherham's clearing kick was run straight back at them by Phil
Dowson for Stephenson to combine with Ben Gollings to send in May once more, and
Rotherham were in disarray.
Walder's conversion made it 37-10 and although Newcastle lost Matt Thompson, a
replacement hooker, to the sin-bin, Gollings ran from his own 22 to send in May
to complete his hat-trick.
Walder had his first failure of the day with the conversion but made no
mistake when Noon cut through on the diagonal to score under the posts, and
after Stephenson had also run in from close range to complete the rout.
Teams
Newcastle: Gollings, May, Noon, Mayerhofler, Stephenson,
Walder, Grindal, Peel, Makin, Ward, Archer, Hamilton, Dunbar,
Britz, Dowson.
Replacements: Godman for Noon (71), Charlton for Grindal (50),
Wilson for Peel (57), Thompson for Makin (53),
Parling for Dunbar (73), Taione for Britz (40).
Not Used: Williams.
Tries: Makin, Noon 2, May 3, Stephenson.
Cons: Walder 6.
Pens: Walder 3.
Rotherham: Stortoni, Elliott, Jorgensen, Pritchard, Ewens,
Benson, Raulini, Lloyd, Smyth, Rawson, Pendlebury, Gross,
Short, Earnshaw, Lewis.
Replacements: Jones for Pritchard (55),
Rhodes for Raulini (77), Bunting for Lloyd (60),
Greeff for Earnshaw (67).
Not Used: Loader, Cook, Spence.
Tries: Elliott.
Cons: Benson.
Pens: Benson.
Att: 5,452
Ref: David Rose (RFU).
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