For large portions of the first half the Wanderers were on the back foot against a speedy and organised Falcons. Indeed, though the Wanderers took a second-minute lead with a David Smith penalty, the hosts took the best part of the half to build some concerted pressure on the Falcons’ line.
Instead the first try came from the visitors. A kick ahead and a good chase had Paul Diggin pinned on his own line and conceding a penalty. Though the initial lineout was repelled the attack didn’t ease up and Tom Dillon crossed the line. Gavin Beasley missed the conversion and a subsequent penalty, but though Smith landed a second three-pointer a couple of minutes after the try the Wanderers were relatively fortunate to still be in front.
The next score came just after the half-hour as Beasley landed his first success with a penalty. But the turning point of the half came five minutes later when scrum-half Micky Young was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
Young’s opposite number Mark Robinson exploited the space immediately by going over the line in the corner, and he made Smith’s job of converting easier by dotting down a lot closer to the sticks. The winger obliged by adding the extras and the Wanderers ended the half leading 13-8.
It took 11 minutes of the second half for the lead to be extended. Dylan Hartley’s try was reward for several minutes of incessant pressure, as was Chris Budgen’s effort seven minutes later. Although Smith only converted the first the Wanderers still had a healthy 25-8 lead with a quarter of the match left.
The 17-point advantage came in very useful 12 minutes from the end when Courtney Lawes was sent to the bin for a late tackle. This spurred Newcastle and they pressed for the scores to bring them back into the contest. For the most part the Wanderers defence was up to the challenge and only a single unconverted try was conceded to Grant Beasley.
This was the last score of the evening thanks to Smith’s missed penalty and the Wanderers had their Guinness ‘A’ League campaign off to a winning start.
Teams:
Wanderers – Harries (Anderson 9mins); Diggin, Clarke (Brake 54mins), Kydd, Smith; Hoyles, Robinson; Emms (Vickers 67mins), Hartley (Gray 54mins), Budgen, Browne (capt)(Hoy 18mins), Short, Lawes, Ward (Rudzki 10mins), Hopley.
Newcastle Falcons – Tait; Harrison, Dillon, Dehaty, McDermott; Gavin Beasley (Miller 58mins), Young (Shaw 49mins); Williams (Kalbraier 54mins), Vickers (Batty 54mins), Harden, Swinson, Walker (Williamson 40mins), Gesinde (capt), Dawson (Grant Beasley 67mins), Browne (Moody 75mins).
Scorers:
Wanderers – Tries: Robinson, Hartley, Budgen; Cons: Smith (2); Pens: Smith (2).
Newcastle Falcons – Tries: Dillon, Grant Beasley; Pen: Gavin Beasley.
Yellow card:
Young (39mins)
Lawes (68mins)
Attendance:
1,061
TIMELINE:
2mins WAND Pen Smith 3-0
8mins FALCONS Try Dillon 3-5
11mins WAND Pen Smith 6-5
34mins FALCONS Pen Beasley 6-8
39mins FALCONS Yellow card Young
39mins WAND Try Robinson Con Smith 13-8
HALF-TIME WANDERERS 13 FALCONS 8
51mins WAND Try Hartley Con Smith 20-8
58mins WAND Try Budgen 25-8
68mins WAND Yellow card Lawes
74mins FALCONS Try Grant Beasley 25-13
FULL-TIME WANDERERS 25 FALCONS 13
