By Leipziger
January 8 2011

Last night's draw at home to Sale means the Falcons will not go into the Six Nations bottom of the Premiership, and the extra point gained by Tim Swinson's late try could prove crucial, but how we could have done with the extra two from a win.

Last night's draw at home to Sale means the Falcons will not go into the Six Nations bottom of the Premiership, and the extra point gained by Tim Swinson's late try could prove crucial, but how we could have done with the extra two from a win.

We can point to a quite incredible display by the officials who gave Sale a try despite a clear knock-on, sent Swinson to the bin while not punishing a visiting player repeatedly punching a Falcon on the floor right in front of the touch judge at the same moment, and some amazing interpretations of penalties, but the fact is we looked like scoring a try twice in the whole game, once in each half.

Not that Sale were much better, it was easy to see why the two sides are in the bottom three, but we missed a huge opportunity to pull away from Leeds last night.

Euan Murray made his Falcons debut in the front row, while Charlie Amesbury came onto the wing and Gcobani Bobo moved to centre in place of Luke Eves. Redford Pennycook dropped to the bench in favour of Brent Wilson and in a late change Mark Wilson replaced Ally Hogg. Sale started with former black Mathew Tait on the wing.

Jimmy Gopperth and Charlie Hodgson exchanged early penalties, Sale pegging us back twice to equalise at 6-6, and Hodgson put the Mancs ahead for the first time with a drop goal. Gopperth took a penalty from halfway and nobody bothered to chase it, wouldn't you know it dropped loose in front of goal so if only someone like Fielden or Amesbury had made the effort who knows what might have happened. As it was we won a scrum anyway, no doubt vindicating this tactic in the minds of some.

Gopperth equalised a few minutes before half-time, leaving the half-time score 9-9.

The only time we had been close to a try in the first half was a close-range drive over the line, but unsighted from every angle the TV referee had no option but to award us a five-metre scrum. I think we probably scored (obviously) but understand why it wasn't given.

A consistent theme running through the opening 40 minutes was a lack of discipline from the Falcons, not rolling away was a favourite one. Eventually the referee had lost patience after 20-odd minutes and sent Swinson to the bin. The crowd were in uproar however when the big screen showed a replay of one Falcon being pinned to the ground and repeatedly punched by a Sale player. The referee may not have seen this but it was right in front of a touch judge and there was conferring between the officials at plenty of other points.

In the second half Marc Jones scored from close range for Sale following a forwards move in which there was a definite knock-on. I'm not sure how the officials thought the ball had gone from a Sale player's hands to between the legs of another Shark lying in front of him but there we are. Hodgson converted and put Sale ten points ahead with his third penalty.

It looked bleak at this point, but fired by home debutant Jason Spice and the return of Jon Golding from the bench, the Falcons managed to get into the game and with 15 minutes to go Gopperth kicked another penalty to at least get us within range of a bonus point.

A number of lineouts and advantages in the Sale 22 (I'll not go as far as to say the referee gave us nothing) was roared on by the small home crowd, although the away defence held out well, until finally Swinson forced his way over by the posts with three minutes left to send us all potty. However, unless the conversion went over it would all be in vain. Thankfully, Gopperth's aim was true, and we were back level at 19-19.

Sale managed to hold onto the ball for the couple of remaining minutes, but finally the Falcons won possession and kicked for touch to take a draw. On balance probably the right decision I think, yes we needed to win but a draw is twice as good as a losing bonus point, especially when we were in our own half, had been kicking poorly to their backs all game and had little hope on the evidence of the previous 80 minutes of running into the away 22.

So, a draw is better than a defeat, but it won't be from now on. We need wins, starting in the cups over the coming four weeks to build some momentum for our next league game at London Irish on 12^th February. After that we have Exeter at home, while before our crunch meeting at Headingley Leeds go to Bath, meet Leicester at home and then have Saracens away. If we are bottom after those fixtures then kudos to Key and Back, but it will spell trouble for us.

It is time for our management to prove they are the men for the job.