The Wanderers' Aviva 'A' League campaign started with a disappointing defeat in Newcastle on Monday evening.
With Newcastle securing their try bonus point before the half-time break, the Wanderers managed to reduce a 24-point deficit to 17, but could not keep up their tempo in the second half to close the gap further.
Newcastle started the scoring. Dan Temm’s leg drive got the home side close before scrum-half Sam Egerton got round the corner and over the line. Craig Willis added the extras with seven minutes on the clock.
Newcastle continued to attack and a driving maul was sent towards the line off the back of an attacking line out. Ben Sowrey grounded the ball over the line and Willis converted again.
The home side seemed to be on the attack again but a stray pass left Rory Hutchinson room to collect the ball mid-flight and races in under the posts from 60 metres to get the Wanderers off the mark.
A huge effort at the scrum then earned the Wanderers a shot at the posts moments later but Sam Olver sent his kick just shy.
Sowery went over for his second and the home side’s third in another driving maul after a strong attack from the hosts and Newcastle’s bonus point score came just minutes later. The home side dominated possession and territory, creating space in the Wanderers line for Egerton to slip through and offload to Max Davies who scored.
A yellow card for Jordan Onojaife just before the break sent the away side down to 14 men with a 17-point deficit as the game restarted.
Patient phase play earned Newcastle their fifth score just after half-time. Nick Civetta crossed the line and Willis added the extras.
A string of penalties brought the Wanderers back into attacking territory and it looked like Tom Collins was over but the referee deemed him to have been held up.
It was not long, however, before the Wanderers attack paid off and a crossfield kick from Olver found Howard Packman on the wing. Olver added the extras, sending the score to 31-14.
Newcastle were back on the attack immediately and stretched their lead to 24 points again moments later. Reiss Cullen broke through the Wanderers’ line, running in to score.
The away side were back on the attack and attempted another crossfield but it went wide of Collins into touch.
Another string of penalties got the Wanderers close again and quick thinking from Tom Emery got Juan Pablo Estelles over at the death. With the conversion made and the final whistle looming, the Wanderers were ending the game 38-21 down, but not before more handbags saw Onojaife shown another yellow and a subsequent red.
TEAMS
NEWCASTLE Tait (capt); Stevenson, Agulla, Burdon, Kibirige, Willis, Egerton; Lockwood, Sowery, Ryan, Davidson, Civetta, Chisanga, Temm, Hogg
Subs - Socino, Brocklebank, Foster, Davies, Johnson, Cullen, Connon, Marshall
WANDERERS Furbank, Collins, Estelles, Hutchinson, Packman, Olver, Kessell, Waller, Clare, Denman, Moon, J Onojaife, Clark, Ludlum, Bennett
Subs - Marshall, Beesley, Parkins, Rayment, D Onojaife, Emery, Grayson
TIMELINE
7mins FALCONS Try Egerton Con Willis 7-0
14mins FALCONS Try Sowery Con Willis 14-0
16mins WANDERERS Try Hutchinson Con Olver 14-7
16mins WANDERERS Miss Pen Olver 14-7
29mins FALCONS Try Sowery 19-7
34mins FALCONS Try Davies 24-7
40mins WANDERERS Yellow Card J Onojaife 24-7
HALF-TIME FALCONS 24-7
42mins FALCONS Try Civetta Con Willis 31-7
59mins WANDERERS Try Packman Con Olver 31-14
61mins FALCONS Try Cullen Con Willis 38-14
75mins WANDERERS Try Estelles Con Olver 38-21
FULL TIME FALCONS 38 WANDERERS 21
