Performance of the day: Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons secured their third win at Franklin’s Gardens this century tonight, as they trumped Northampton by six points. This memorable victory got off to a slow start, as both sides were cagey from the off. The difference between the sides in the first half was probably a couple of moments of brilliance from Falcons winger, Vereniki Goneva. He made a couple of scintillating linebreaks and was the main creator in Hodgson’s try, which was the only five pointer of the first forty minutes.

A crucial moment of the game was the first half sending off of Kieran Brookes. He was sent to the changing rooms after the TMO deemed his clear out of Scott Lawson, at the ruck, to be illegal. Newcastle went into the sheds with a five point lead, after Joel Hodgson missed a clever drop-goal attempt.

The home side came out with a point to prove in the second half. They bulldozed their way through the Falcons defensive line time and time again, before Christian Day got over for their only try of the game. Stephen Myler kept the scoreboard ticking over as well but this Newcastle side was not going to lie down and accept defeat. They continued to attack with great intent through their playmakers Hodson and scrum-half, Mickey Young.

The Falcons were rewarded for their efforts as Will Witty drove over to score in the final twenty minutes. They again looked like they may be put to the sword as Myler put Northamptn ahead with a late penalty. However, Vereniki Goneva was not going to be outmatched. He made a life or death decision to intercept Tom Kessell’s pass in his own twenty-two, before going eighty metres to snatch the victory at the death.

A fantastic win for the Falcons will give them great confidence after some close games didn’t go their way in the last couple of months. This is their first victory in the league since early October. Hopefully they can put a string of results together now and lift themselves from the bottom half of the table.