Toby Flood for the benched Mark Mayerhofler was the only change to the Falcons’ starting lineup.  The most striking performance of the day was that of Owen Finegan, whose powerful try for Newcastle was in stark contrast to his labouring jogging as Carlos Spencer legged in one for the opposition.  But then it’s been a rough day all round for this Falcon.

It started when I woke up, the clock reading 7.21am.  Why can’t I ever sleep in up in Newcastle?  A few hours later, brother Leipy rises, asking if it’s 11 or 12 o’clock.  It must be about half ten, I reply.

The clock says 10.59 he says, and we didn’t put them forward.  Aargh, I say, Papa Leipy was supposed to pick me up at 11.45-12, and sure enough there is the red auto pulling up outside the house!

Then the queue for a lunch table at the Twin Farms was rather lengthy (though Geordie “******* disgrace” Monkey and DJMC avoided the problem…) so I received a bit jip for hanging my banner up late at ten past two.

And then the Falcons did OK for the first bit of the game, despite conceding the opening try when Ollie Phillips was sucked inside by a Saints attack, and with two on the overlap Ben Cohen scored on the right.  We managed to hit back when Geoff Parling took a penalty lineout and we were given an advantage in the maul.  The ball was moved left but a clever tap from Tom May to Anthony Elliott went forward and we were brought back.  Andy Perry took the next throw and Finegan peeled off the maul for a good try on the right.  The conversion missed by a mile, but we were straight back on the attack, until David Walder dropped a pass on the 22.

Finegan’s con against the previous pro came after a quarter of an hour as he lost a tussle with Spencer and as the fancy fly-half raced for the line to score, our Aussie flanker trundled like play had been stopped.  What happened next I didn’t exactly see, but I am fairly sure that no conversion was taken, whilst referee Tony Spreadbury spoke to front row players on both teams.  Confusing, and I don’t know what went on.

Saints co-(?)captain Bruce Reihana increased the lead anyway though with a penalty from halfway despite what looked like at least one of a high and off the ball tackle from his side, before we got close to the away line and May, Flood and Anthony Elliott pressured Saints passes in the goal area, before they managed to clear.  Walder did add a penalty later though for slowing.

Dominant Northampton seemed to score again (they were attacking the North in the first half) but we were given a scrum for another forward play, however a mix up in defence let prop Pat Barnard score their third try, which Reihana converted.  The half time score was 8-20, Northampton having been faster to the ball, and our tackling being horribly suspect.  Certain individuals looked good for the Falcons, but the team wasn’t working.

Northampton looked the better team after the restart too, and missed a penalty on 48 minutes when man-of-the-match Andy Long raced away with an intercepted pass but was pulled back, much to the crowd’s dismay.  Jon Clarke extended the away lead though after taking what looked suspiciously like a forward pass on the left from Cohen, and though the conversion again was off target, the writing was on the wall result-wise.

The Falcons did manage a consolation try by the lively Anthony Elliott, with a lengthy centre attack being brought left and the winger going over.  But the last points of the game came from the visitors, replacement Darren Fox scoring a try beneath the posts amongst loose home defending.  The conversion by Reihana was the last act of the game, and our defeat was confirmed.

For me poor first tackles, and a lack of pace and creativity were our downfalls today.  I feel that, though we may not have won, we may have got closer with two of Noon, Tait and Mayerhofler starting in the centre, as we at least could have scored more and been better in our middle defending.  But the fact is that when Northampton turned the pressure on in our half, we weren’t fast or good enough to repel them.

But you will read all of that in various reports.  The man of the match was Andy Long, however I feel James Grindal had a decent afternoon and Ben Woods further enhanced his reputation.  To end on a positive note: if it wasn’t for Magnus Lund, could Woods be a contender for the England no. 7 shirt?  If I had a mortgage, I’d certainly put it on him wearing it sooner rather than later.

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