Newcastle Red Bulls
Falcons slip up in the Sand
By Leipziger
September 19 2010
I'm sure nobody wants to read about the latest failure of Leipy Trains, so let's just say that when I arrived at Sandy Park at 2.55pm yesterday I might have been hot and out of breath, but I was mighty relieved.
The Geordies congregated at the eastern end of the South Terrace of Sandy Park and were intent on giving the Exeter fans a good go off the pitch on our Falcons' first visit to this part of the world.
Personally I think we let the home fans know they'd been in a contest.
Certainly the Falcons, with Alex Tait restored to the starting XV and Rob Vickerman making his first start of the season, and Exeter had little left to give after this blood and thunder match.
The Chiefs, having had a better start to life in the Premiership than they had probably dreamed of, took the lead early on through a Gareth Steenson.
Redford Pennycook was then sin-binned for a late tackle on the home fly-half as he cleared from his in-goal area. I'd say the card was fair if I hadn't seen so many such tackles go un-carded before – think Ellis on Wilkinson in 2005.
With Luke Eves again helping out in the scrum, the Falcons repelled Exeter's powerful forwards on our line and stopped a menacing maul on halfway before Pennycook returned.
Then we attacked and Charlie Amesbury was fed on the left. Chipping ahead he found only a diving defender but Micky Young forced a scrum, and from the set-play Amesbury was put through under the posts.
Jimmy Gopperth converted, but the lead didn't last very long. A mix-up between Young and his forwards at a defensive scrum allowed Tom Johnson to score from the loose ball, Steenson converting.
A Gopperth penalty got us level, but more poignant for the away fans in the rest of the first half was the loss of James Hudson with what looked like an ankle injury. Glen Townson performed well as his replacement, but you can't help but feel the loss of one of the very best locks in the Premiership.
We managed to hold out in the last few minutes of the first half, conceding no more points to go into the break 10-10. During a half-time that felt very long, I considered the importance of the next try. If we got it, I was sure we'd win. If Exeter did, then we might have a long way back.
As it was, neither was really true. Exeter again had more possession in the second half and went ahead again with two penalties. Steenson hit the post with another attempt and I expected the home heads to drop.
Especially when on a rare trip to the Chiefs' 22 our forwards laid the ground work for Vickerman to score. I am told the referee put his arm up to signal a try, but if he did he must have put it back down very quickly.
Did we care? Well, yes. At least until it was clear that our boys were heading back to the halfway line and the Chiefs were congregating under the posts. Between the very posts that Gopperth intersected with his conversion.
16-17 the right way. At this point, Alan Tait made a strange replacement, Jeremy Manning for Vickerman. Now his try notwithstanding, Vickerman didn't have a great game today, in contrast to Eves who put in his best performance in a black (well, grey and white) shirt so far.
But bringing on a creative centre for a more defensive one when we'd just gone ahead with 14 minutes left was a little unexpected.
I hope we aren't going back to the old days of pre-planned, inflexible replacements that take no account of the actual course of the match. Unless, as is quite possible, there was something I on the terraces did not know.
As it was, within a couple of minutes Exeter had retaken the lead through another penalty, and Steenson's fifth three-pointer put the hosts within touching distance of victory.
The Chiefs managed to keep possession until the final couple of minutes when we stole and replacement winger Luke Fielden steamed upfield on the left. The ball came across the field but Micky Young was caught in possession and we were penalised for coming in at the side.
Exeter kicked for touch with seconds left and to their probable annoyance were forced to take the lineout. Tim Swinson competed but Exeter won the ball and kicked out to secure their win.
As I think back to the game, I realise our forwards were challenged more than they had been in the previous two games, and I think as at Sale we are lacking a bit of creativity in the backs.
Are we missing Tulip more than has been mentioned in recent weeks? Eves was good today, but as a basher, not the creator that we are missing in the centres. If I was Alan Tait I would be thinking about how to combine Gopperth, Manning and Eves for Saturday.
Despite his yellow card I thought Pennycook did well yesterday, but our best player was Ally Hogg. An absolute workhorse, he saved a try with a first-half interception, was everywhere he should have been and tackled like a lion.
While Exeter will undoubtedly take some thumpings on the road this season, I expect more teams than Gloucester will leave Sandy Park with nothing before May.
The key now for us is how we respond to a defeat to the pre-season relegation favourites. We have lost two games to teams expected to be around the bottom of the table, and the upcoming two matches are ones we have not done well in in recent years. But that's why we have a new coaching team, I would think.
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More creativity needed in the backs, despite 2 tries today.
Errors, spilling the ball, penalty counts are still killing us.
Losing to the teams expected to be around the bottom undoubtedly puts pressure on the home form.
We are going to have to win a higher proportion of home games to keep above the drop zone, which will be the real challenge.
Early days, but interesting to see how some things remain the same.
I hope in the same way that Leipy mentions not having set substitutions (like England and MJ), that we are not picking players for a specific position rather than form players.
& can I just add brilliant trip organised by the supporters club. Had a great weekend. Got no voice to teach with tomorrow but thats a minor detail!!!
Manning could have been a very sensible change Leipy - extra kicker for clearing the ball too and his defence his ok.
The result wasnt good enough but we did alot better against them than Gloucester I suppose and Steenson is a bloody good kicker to get the win for them despite us scoring more tries.
I also think we were poorer when Hudson went off and had a big effect.
We've still looked alot better than last season so far and much more entertaining rugby and we're scoring tries so heading in the right direction.
I reckon the 5 teams that I mentioned are the ones vulnerable to defeats due to a lack of strength in depth as a whole across the squad, Quins & Glos are vulnerable to something much worse, a total lack of a will to live.
We could do with longer prep time for home games so that we can at least concentrate on winning them. Playing Fridays doesn't allow that.
The pitch is sorted by all accounts so they can't blame that.
The refs?
The weather?
Or maybe something different this season?
Answers on a postcard to Thumper and Taity.
AS regards Exeter, what I meant was BEFORE the season started most would have expected Exeter to be the whipping boys, with Sale and us a close second/third (in no particular order).
Both teams have beaten us, admittedly on their home patch, but I'm seriously worried, particularly as it's obvious we have real problems in the centres and our captain is now out for an absolute minimum of 6 weeks.
So of the next 3, where do we get 2 wins from?
Quote:Someone tell Alan Tait, I mean, what if he doesn't read this message board? Newcastle Falcons might lose their number one superfan!DGNTR
I'm prepared to give him 6 games, by which time, no less than 3 wins would be an acceptable return
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:09:20:23:45:47 by TJO.
We haven't had a fantastic start to the season but it's way too early to be making such drastic and disruptive changes.
If we're bottom of the league at the turn of the year I shall start to fret a bit.
Wasps
Glos
Leeds
Quins
Irish
Barf
and last but by no means least, the salary cap stretching big spenders of English rugby - Leicester.
Ha, that old chestnut, how many times have the diehards said that over the years?
Winning is what's required, entertaining rugby is fine too, but not if it gets us relegated.
As for nearly winning games, spot on DG. Bates was the master at losing bonus points & look where that got us.
"It's better than heavily losing"
Maybe, but just losing will not get us enough points to avoid relegation.
So you think come the end of the season if we've avoided heavy defeats and we get relegated that will be good enough will it?
Last warning Steve.
If a poster has decided for whatever reason not to display their name on the internet, and you continually use their real name just because you don't like them, you WILL be banned.
It is not going to help the suppy club if one of the committee gets banned for being an idiot.
Last warning & I mean it.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010:09:21:20:13:18 by Monkey1.
We also had the chief editor post a laughing smiley in response to someone calling me a W***** which you werent even happy about.
Its say at top not to be abusive but says nowt about using someones real name ?
If you wish to start a thread about abuse feel free to do so, but may I suggest that one of Leipy's match reports is an inappropriate place for such a discussion.
And majority of threads go off topic anyway so hardly a problem.
So we're equal in that regard.
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