Unhappy New Year
By Leipziger January 1 2007
Ian Smith described our home defeat by Harlequins in November as the worst performance he’d seen from a Newcastle side. I have to wonder where today will feature in his list, as the Quins took apart our Falcons, who rarely got out of their own half for almost all of the first match of 2007.
Ian Smith described our home defeat by Harlequins in November as the worst performance he’d seen from a Newcastle side. I have to wonder where today will feature in his list, as the Quins took apart our Falcons, who rarely got out of their own half for almost all of the first match of 2007.
And despite having a game in hand (it is away to Gloucester) we are now tenth in the table, four points behind Bath but only a slightly worrying seven above bottom side Worcester who won today at Northampton, the team sandwiched between us. DoR John Fletcher believes that the relegation battle has now enveloped our Boys as well as the four (five surely?) sides either side of us.
Missing Joe McDonnell and Jamie Noon, and deprived of captain Matthew Burke in the early stages, Andrew Mehrtens kicked one of three early penalties, before Aston Croall forced his way over on the right for the first try which the former All Black converted.
Burke and Tom May had already been replaced for blood injuries, with Elliott taking the former’s place permanently, and Toby Flood was also yellow-carded before Croall scored.
The Falcons tried to make a fight of it at the end of the first half, and with pretty much their first meaningful attack May, now back on the pitch, scored from close range to reduce the deficit, before flanker Eni Gesinde set off on a run from his own 22 and was hauled down metres from the Quins line. A few passes later, and Russell Winter was sent in beneath the posts to put his side ahead with Flood’s conversion.
Mehrtens hit back with a penalty, but Flood’s response saw the Falcons 13-15 ahead at half time, a scoreline they barely deserved.
Despite an early period of possession in the second half, the Falcons soon succumbed to a David Strettle try as the winger booted a loose ball forward and collected amongst two defenders, and despite a raft of changes the Falcons weren’t able to hold back the Quins barrage.
Three more tries from Mike Brown, and Strettle (2) – completing a hat-trick just before full-time – saw Harlequins romp to a 42-15 victory. The final period of the game was played under heavy rain, parodying the damp squib that was the Falcons’ ‘performance’ today.
Don’t lose faith though – had we beat London Irish in September, we’d have a complete run of lose-win-lose-win in the Premiership back to Bristol in April. Therefore I expect a win against Leicester. You know I’m right.
Missing Joe McDonnell and Jamie Noon, and deprived of captain Matthew Burke in the early stages, Andrew Mehrtens kicked one of three early penalties, before Aston Croall forced his way over on the right for the first try which the former All Black converted.
Burke and Tom May had already been replaced for blood injuries, with Elliott taking the former’s place permanently, and Toby Flood was also yellow-carded before Croall scored.
The Falcons tried to make a fight of it at the end of the first half, and with pretty much their first meaningful attack May, now back on the pitch, scored from close range to reduce the deficit, before flanker Eni Gesinde set off on a run from his own 22 and was hauled down metres from the Quins line. A few passes later, and Russell Winter was sent in beneath the posts to put his side ahead with Flood’s conversion.
Mehrtens hit back with a penalty, but Flood’s response saw the Falcons 13-15 ahead at half time, a scoreline they barely deserved.
Despite an early period of possession in the second half, the Falcons soon succumbed to a David Strettle try as the winger booted a loose ball forward and collected amongst two defenders, and despite a raft of changes the Falcons weren’t able to hold back the Quins barrage.
Three more tries from Mike Brown, and Strettle (2) – completing a hat-trick just before full-time – saw Harlequins romp to a 42-15 victory. The final period of the game was played under heavy rain, parodying the damp squib that was the Falcons’ ‘performance’ today.
Don’t lose faith though – had we beat London Irish in September, we’d have a complete run of lose-win-lose-win in the Premiership back to Bristol in April. Therefore I expect a win against Leicester. You know I’m right.
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