Two moments of Gallic brilliance from Thomas Castaignede and two tries from
Sevens star Richard Haughton inspired Saracens to end their winter slump at
Vicarage Road.
Former France fly-half Castaignede produced dazzling first-half breaks to
create two tries out of nothing for Haughton and Taine Randell.
Haughton also set up a score for Ryan Peacey before racing away with an
interception for his second of the game to kill off the Falcons.
Castaignede added three conversions and a penalty, Robbie Kydd was also on
target, and Newcastle were out of the game long before Warren Britz, Phil
Dowson
and Dave Walder added late scores to Joe Shaw's try and Walder's penalty and
three conversions.
Saracens have endured a dismal season with only doomed Rotherham - who they
have beaten twice - keeping them off the bottom of the table.
But they had beaten the Falcons in the opening game of the season and their
recent results - defeats by two and four points against Harlequins and
Northampton - could be a sign of better times ahead for Rod Kafer's men.
Times will be better if Castaignede continues to supply the magic and
Haughton
continues to terrify defences with his unstoppable pace and power.
They combined for one of the tries of the season in only the second minute -
a
length-of-the-field counter-attack from their own line.
Walder's attempted drop-goal had been charged down but instead of finding
touch the Castaignede dummied inside Hall Charlton and set off on a 70 metre
run
before kicking ahead to give Haughton the space he needed to accelerate away
for
the try.
Ben Johnston and Kydd tried to repeat the trick 10 minutes later, only for
the
ball to be spilled and Falcons full-back Joe Shaw was unchallenged as he
cantered in from 15 metres.
But Haughton was a threat whenever he received the ball and his break down
the
right with Kris Chesney in support set up the 16th minute score for fellow
flanker Peacey, Castaignede supplying the conversion from the touchline.
Although Newcastle controlled long spells with a tight tactical approach and
Hugh Vyvyan, Craig Hamilton and Garath Archer supplying the muscle around
the
fringes, but Walder's 34th minute penalty was their only reward.
And Castaignede made them pay in first-half injury-time. He cut inside the
onrushing defence and past half-a-dozen defenders before Randell ploughed
his
way over.
The conversion put Saracens 19-8 clear at the break and they struck twice
early in the second half to secure victory.
Castaignede added an early penalty after Newcastle had lost Archer to the
sin-bin for killing the ball near his own line before Haughton hammered the
final nail in their coffin.
His side were under pressure in their own 22 but as Walder attempted to find
the extra man his looping pass was picked off and Haughton raced 80 metres
to
score under the posts and make the conversion a formality.
It was the first four-try bonus point Saracens had gained since beating
Rotherham in November and Newcastle were losing control with Epi Taione the
second player sin-binned by referee Wayne Barnes for a late tackle punished
further by Kydd's long-range penalty.
The visitors did dig in with a late flurry with replacement flanker Britz
driving over in the 69th minute and back-row comrade Dowson following up two
minutes from time.
And they picked up some consolation with bonuses for a fourth try and
finishing within seven points after Walder intercepted in the final passage
of
play to race the length of the field and score under the posts.