Newcastle ground out a 27-16 win against injury-hit Northampton at Kingston
Park having made hard work of it initially against the beleaguered Saints.
Newcastle conceded a needless penalty in the first minute when David Walder
ran it out of his 22 instead of kicking for touch - and then his kick did go out
on the full.
Northampton surged upfield to force a penalty and Shane Drahm kicked the goal
to give the Saints just the start they wanted and the Falcons had only
themselves to blame.
Tom May knocked over a snap drop-goal in the fifth minute after two powerful
drives by Epi Taione and a superb pick up by Andy Long to set up the chance.
Wylie Human was lucky to get away with deliberately playing the ball on the
ground and throwing the ball into touch after being tackled by Mike Stephenson.
Newcastle drove Northampton back and it seemed Jamie Noon would break through
but the Saints were offside and Matt Burke put Newcastle 6-3 ahead.
Then Bruce Reihana threw out a pass well forward but referee Geraint
Ashton-Jones and his touch judges apparently could not see it and John Clarke
scored in the corner and Drahm converted before Burke kicked a penalty for
Newcastle only for Drahm to make it 13-9 with a penalty for hands in the ruck.
Newcastle were making so many errors and conceding so many turnovers they were
lucky to be just 13-9 down and they rode their luck to be just 13-12 down at
half-time with Burke's third penalty after 36 minutes.
The Falcons moved back into the lead with a Walder drop-goal early in the
second half after the Saints made mess of a 22 drop-out and when Chris Budgeon
strayed offside in the 48th minute Burke made it 18-13.
But then the Saints put in a great driving maul to gain a penalty which Drahm
kicked to make it 18-16.
In a penalty-strewn match Northampton obstructed at the ruck and Burke kicked
his fifth penalty before the introduction of Colin Charvis, scorer of four tries
against Japan on Friday, made an immediate difference.
The Newcastle pack drove into the Saints' 22 and Walder kicked the penalty
when Northampton were offside and then kicked his second drop-goal in the 71st
minute.
Teams
Newcastle: Burke, May, Noon, Taione, Stephenson, Walder,
Grindal, Isaacson, Long, Ward, Gross, Buist, McCarthy, Harris,
Dowson.
Replacements: Charlton for Grindal (58), Hurter for Ward (71),
Sititi for Gross (71), Charvis for Harris (58).
Not Used: Kalman, Mayerhofler, Shaw.
Pens: Burke 5, Walder.
Drop Goals: May, Walder 2.
Northampton: Reihana, Human, Stcherbina, Vilk, Clarke, Drahm,
Robinson, Budgen, Richmond, Morris, Lord, O'Donoghue, Soden,
Blowers, Seely.
Replacements: Patston for Reihana (80), Rudd for Clarke (64),
Howard for Robinson (84), Sturgess for Morris (50),
Browne for O'Donoghue (50).
Not Used: van Wyk, McNamee.
Sin Bin: Human (69).
Tries: Clarke.
Cons: Drahm.
Pens: Drahm 3.
Att: 6,871
Ref: G Ashton-Jones (RFU).
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