Mathew Tait answered his critics with an inspired second-half performance in which he scored one try and made another as Newcastle battled back for an unlikely draw against Gloucester.

The Falcons were 22-6 down at the break before coming back to lead 27-22 and it needed a try three minutes from the end of normal time from Luke Narraway to give Gloucester the draw and three points - two for the draw and one for scoring four tries.

Dave Walder knocked over a third-minute penalty but a missed touch from the full-back and a positioning error led to Henry Paul's long kick to the corner and Michael Stephenson had to concede the line-out which in turn led to a penalty.

Paul hit the post and Gloucester had the luck with the rebound, although Newcastle's pack - led by Andy Long - turned it over.

However, Walder missed touch again and Andy Gomarsall tried a drop-goal that was charged down.

The ball broke kindly for Gloucester again and Seti Kiole flicked a pass out for Marcel Garvey and again the Falcons defence was superb to snuff out the threat.

The Cherry and Whites had the pressure on and it needed a couple of great tackles from Mark Mayerhofler and Cory Harris to stop Terry Fanolua right on the line twice in quick succession.

Newcastle's defence was very shoddy when Gomarsall broke through and they stood off the England scrum-half as he weaved his way to the corner for a 21st-minute try with Stephenson making the tackle too late.

Four minutes later Garvey scored under the posts but Newcastle were furious - and rightly so - with Fanolua for blatantly obstructing Mark Wilkinson to make the gap.

Paul's conversion made it 12-3 but then Adam Eustace barged Mayerhofler as he chased a kick and Walder cut the gap to 12-6.

A Paul drop-goal followed soon after when Mayerhofler missed touch badly to put his side back under the cosh and then three missed tackles, the last by Long, let in Fanolua for another try under the posts.

Newcastle had a couple of chances at the start of the second half with line-outs in the corner but they failed to make them count until Joe Shaw found Walder who released Mayerholfer in his own 22.

The former All Black broke clear and popped the ball up for Matt Tait on halfway and he chipped ahead for Stephenson to scorch through for the try which Walder converted to give Newcastle a lifeline.

They grabbed it with both hands with Mayerhofler breaking through and Tait making a brilliant early run to cut inside and race 30 metres to score.

Walder converted to make it 22-20 before he was just wide with a 40m-penalty in the 70th minute.

Then Mayerhofler scythed through the middle for a try after Charlton popped the ball up and Walder's conversion took Newcastle 27-22 ahead.

With three minutes of normal time left Narraway was driven over for a try in the corner which levelled the scores at 27-27 and although Henry missed the conversion Gloucester nearly won it at the death when Kiole broke through and Hall Charlton and Tom May only just got to him to make a try-saving tackle.