NEWCASTLE FALCONS 23

WANDERERS 20

Guinness 'A' League

Kingston Park

Monday, September 5, 2005

It could so nearly have been more as only a late Newcastle penalty denied the visitors a deserved draw. But the Wanderers showed character by twice pulling back seven-point deficits from a Falcons squad that included Australian World Cup winner Owen Finegan.

All Newcastle's points emanated from powerful forward play, beginning in the fifth minute through number eight Ben Woods' try. The lineout drive looked ominous but Wanderers' pack collected themselves over the next seven minutes and worked their way through phases for Ben Patston to pull three points back with a penalty.

Newcastle's second try came in the 18^th minute via Lee Dickson but Mark Laycock's missed conversions allowed the Wanderers to level at the end of the first quarter. Controlled driving around the fringes made the most of a Falcons kick-off fumble and Andy Vilk strolled through the non-existent defence to score. Patston converted to tie the scores at 10 apiece.

Newcastle finished the half as they had started it - with a Woods try, again benefiting from a lineout drive 10 metres out. This score was by the posts, making Andrew Skeen's conversion straightforward for a seven-point Falcons’ halftime advantage.

The same tactic again paid dividends for the hosts within five minutes of the restart, as Maycock made amends for his previous misses by dropping a goal. The rest of the third quarter remained scoreless, although the Wanderers had their chances.

Patston made a scything break ended by a good cover tackle five metres short, and a good position in Newcastle's 22 went to waste when a turnover was conceded at a ruck.

Nevertheless, the Wanderers' effort was rewarded in the 64^th minute by Sean Lamont's first competitive try in Northampton colours. Lamont battled through three defenders to score by the posts, but credit was also due to Johnny Howard, whose initial break set up the try. Patston notched his second conversion to reduce the deficit to three points.

Wanderers should have taken the lead as the game entered its final 10 minutes as they set up camp on the Falcons’ line. But several times the fringe drive was opted for when overlaps existed out wide and Newcastle cleared. The chance for a try gone, the visitors didn’t forego the opportunity to equalise through Patston’s second penalty in the 76^th minute. But the sting in the tail was yet to come as, in the 80^th minute, yet another Newcastle drive forced a penalty. Laycock stepped up and shrugged off his earlier misses to slot the winning three points.

Teams:

Newcastle Falcons - Laycock; Johnston, Dehaty, Wilkinson, Tait; Flood (Skeen 4mins (Grindal 40mins)), Dickson (capt); Brown, Mackie (Vickers 40mins), Wilson, McCarthy, Walker (Irvin 62mins), Gesinde (Dawson 77mins), Williamson (Finegan 40mins), Woods.

Wanderers - Elliott; Lamont (Maggs 78mins), Vilk (Barnard 57mins), Davies, Diggin; Patston, Jones (capt) (Howard 40mins); Harbut, Richmond, Lowe (Malkin 30mins (Lowe 55mins)), Powell, Pitfield (Supple 55mins), Easter, Lewitt, Soden.

Scorers:

Newcastle Falcons - Tries: Woods (2), Dickson; Con: Skeen; Pen: Laycock; Drop-goal: Laycock.

Wanderers - Tries: Vilk, Lamont; Cons: Patston (2); Pens: Patston (2).