By Rupert Thacker
January 14 2003

Saracens left it late to hit top gear against the Falcons at Vicarage Road on Monday evening, scoring three second-half tries to win the first leg of their Parker Pen Cup Quarter Final 31-10. In front a crowd admitted for free, the Men In Red eventually woke up after 50 minutes. The Falcons sprang a not totally unexpected surprise by naming Jonny Wilkinson in their starting line-up for his first game since November, his opposite number was also a returning fly-half, Andy Goode out to prove some of his doubters wrong.

Neither side particularly sparkled during the dull opening exchanges, the two number 10's exchanging penalties early on. It was the Falcons who had the upper hand in the set piece however, with the Saracens' scrum beating a backward retreat on more than one occasion.
Combined with the lack of a functional line out for Saracens, it was no great surprise when Falcon superiority told and Phil Dowson crossed the try-line after 21 minutes. A well-worked try, following several phases of play, it was a potted version of the first quarter - Sarries being inept in the tackle and making too many errors, the Falcons making fewer errors and keeping their composure to take advantage of a situation.

The influence of the returning Wilkinson was plain to see for the Falcons, who didn't play like a side rooted to the foot of the ZP. They did the basics well, with Jon Dunbar to the fore, although it must be said that Saracens were so poor that there was a not lot else that they needed to do. With no cohesion anywhere on the pitch for the home team, it was a relief when Goode kicked another penalty on 36 minutes, the score at half time remaining at 6-10. Half time was also a relief for a keen crowd in the Rous, who just seemed stunned at quite how inept Saracens had been.

The second half began with Tony Roques replacing Ben Russell, who was (understandably) struggling at number 8 behind a rapidly retreating scrum. With Johnny Marsters' sin-binning for a ruck offence after only a minute of the second period, the door was open for the Falcons to take advantage and for Wilkinson to further exert his influence over the game. He missed the penalty chance though and this was to be the Falcons' last real, gilt-edged point-scoring opportunity.

Still the game drifted along, with no side seemingly able to take control. The monotony was broken on 54 minutes though, when quick recycling and movement of the ball, plus a beautifully timed pass from Tim Horan, led to Christian Califano scoring a well-worked try - the extras from Goode gave Sarries a 13-10 lead. The mood of the crowd and the game changed with that try, Saracens appearing to grow in stature and the Falcons losing all the confidence they had gained during the first half.

Saracens now adopted a high tempo game, with further points garnered through a Goode drop goal on the hour mark. Penalties continued to come Sarries' way and, following the binning of Stuart Grimes, another Goode penalty made it 19-10 with 12 minutes left. By now, the Saracens back row of Hill and Roques were making it hard for Wilkinson to have any effect on the game and this all but snuffed out Newcastle as an attacking force. In conjunction with this, sharp handling from forwards and backs alike along with good ball retention led to Craig Yandell being driven over the line in the 74th minute, Goode turning it into 7 points. By now, Sarries were trying to score at every opportunity, 2 drop goals missed the target and a penalty sailed narrowly past.

The final reward for their efforts of the last 20 minutes came in injury time, when a move which may have broken down an hour earlier was finished off by a 20m gallop by Richard Hill, touching down in the right-hand corner having taken a brilliant running line on to another fine pass from Horan. The cheer when he touched down was not only for the try, but as a tribute to a player who gives his all to the Men in Black whenever he pulls on the jersey and who has been a shining light for several seasons.

So, with the conversion missed, the final whistle went at 31-10 to the Saracens; a 21 point lead to go to Kingston Park with on Sunday. It is simple: play like they did for the first 50 minutes and a Wilkinson-Inspired Falcons may well overturn that deficit. Play as they did for the last quarter and it is with guarded optimism that I'd predict a semi-final berth for Saracens against either Bath or Montauban in April.

Man of the Match was Andy Goode, honourable mentions to Christian Califano, alongside (of course) Richard Hill. Oh, and following our troubles of last week, a word for Monsieur Dume; an unfussy referee, who was always in control and who I'd be happy to see again at Vicarage Road - let's hope it's for the semi-final.