Yes I know we were outscored three tries to one. I watched the game, for my sins. Yet for Irish's wasteful attack, the “sack of s***e” display, as one fan put it, could've resulted in a much heavier loss.

To put it into more perspective, when the players came around the pitch after the final whistle (presumably to avoid being shouted stupid by the Master and his apprentices), even I didn't applaud them. If I could have, I'd have asked the few left in the South Stand to all turn their backs to the pitch. It was that bad.

It all looked so different after a couple of minutes as the Falcons drove forward and Brent Wilson snapped over for an unconverted try, but Irish took control quickly. Richard Thorpe took Hall Charlton over the line with him to put Irish ahead, and a Peter Hewat penalty gave them a 5-10 lead at half time.

We probably only had two attacking 'spells' in the second half, both lasting no longer than a couple of minutes. Rory Clegg sent a clever kick to the right of the 22, but it bounced on the touchline and went out of play before an attacker could get to it.

A Clegg penalty was of little consequence as Steffon Armitage and Declan Danaher scored further converted tries to secure yet another win at Kingston Park. That's pretty much it for the match. Those who didn't go and think they didn't miss much are right, from a Geordie point of view.

Those among the 5,009 in attendance who hadn't left before the final whistle were very flat, as the Falcons received little acknowledgment. Maybe this was wrong as I'm sure they tried their best, but we were woeful yesterday.

A few times in the so slow last 20 minutes I smiled and laughed at our ineptitude and appalling discipline, it was either that or cry.

I'm sure the referee will get pelters for giving Irish countless decisions, particularly in the second half, but why didn't our players control themselves and learn what was being penalised?

And is it the referee's fault that when we did get the ball, more often than not we predictably hoofed it straight to an Irish winger and let them attack us at pace? Those being the times when our kicks actually made it more than ten metres, which in the first half they often didn't.

On the plus side, Tane Tu'ipulotu looks canny, nothing particularly special yet, but he seems strong with good hands. I thought Steve Jones had a poor game, though I only mention that because he has had a very good season so far. To be fair he did prevent a try by marking a high ball, and one that he dropped was a devilish one, but he did little offensively.

For the most part, our lineout was bad again, notwithstanding how good Irish's is, but I'd be surprised if we won more than a couple of our throws in the second half. We stole one Irish throw in the first 40 (might've been in the build-up to Wilson's try), but our ineptitude on our own ball outweighs that.

So first we had Prince Harry and now The King. The way it's looking, if Bristol get a few more wins we are going to need divine intervention this season, with Wilkinson injured until God knows when and Hayman rumoured to be out until Christmas.

Rant over. Thankfully, as I didn't really enjoy writing it.

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