By Leipziger
March 30 2013

Newcastle and Jersey put on an interesting Good Friday show for 4,000 spectators at Kingston Park last night, the home side eventually running out 34-12 winners but not before the relegation-threatened islanders had given the Geordies a scare.

Jersey took the lead with an early try and later reduced the Falcons' lead to just a point, but in the end the quality that has made Newcastle the unbeaten league leaders with just two regular season games to go shone through and they got all five points.

Dean Richards took the opportunity to rotate some of his squad, starting Joel Hodgson at fly-half in place of Jimmy Gopperth, alongside Warren Fury. Alex Crockett also came into the backline while in the pack, there were starts for Sean Tomes, Grant Shiells, James Goode and Ollie Stedman. Kieran Brookes started for the first time in his dual-registration spell back in the North East.

Newcastle attacked in the early minutes, Hodgson setting a platform with a beautiful chip-and-collect on the right touchline before Crockett, Stedman and Tom Catterick went close.

Jersey however were first on the scoresheet. Driving forward, the visitors quickly brought the play across to the right and Max Stelling was able to touch down as Newcastle ran out of defenders. Michael Le Bourgeois could not convert but, for the second time this season, Jersey had drawn first blood against their illustrious Geordie opponents.

After Stedman was dropped on his side in the middle of the pitch, Hodgson kicked a penalty to get the home team going.

Both teams probed but it was the Falcons who finally took the lead when a backs move down the right saw Noah Cato feed Catterick and the full-back grabbed his side's first try of the evening. Hodgson's conversion flew wide of the right-hand post.

Jersey had a chance to retake the lead in the run-up towards half-time. A series of scrums in front of the sparsely-populated but lively North Stand eventually led to Brookes being shown a yellow card by referee Marius Mitrea. The Channellers could not find the killer ball however and went into half-time 8-5 down.

Soon after the restart play was halted again for several minutes due to Jersey centre Mark McCrea being stretchered off. Newcastle extended their lead from a break by Catterick in his own half, the speedster feeding Hodgson on the right for a try that the fly-half converted himself from the touchline.

The visitors shocked the Geordie fans with a snap try of their own soon after, Joe Buckle finding himself free close to the line and touching down unopposed. Le Bourgeois cut his side's deficit to just one point with the conversion.

However, the Falcons were not to be denied, even if when the third try came it was controversial. Cato intercepted a loose pass on halfway and looked to have dropped the ball in front of him. The referee saw otherwise though and Cato regathered to run in his second try in two home outings in a black shirt. Hodgson increased the lead to eight points with the conversion.

Hodgson's boot erred from the penalty tee as Newcastle looked to make the points secure, but the bonus point came from Stedman under the posts set up by a driving run from home debutant Adam Powell. The score was converted by replacement fly-half Jimmy Gopperth.

The Leinster-bound Kiwi set up Powell to round off the scoring in injury time, and rounded off his cameo with the conversion.

Although Nottingham saw off Doncaster in last night's other Championship, Newcastle's bonus point sees them increase their lead over the second-placed Archers to 26 points. Now sitting on 93, the Falcons will top 100 points in the regular season if they carry their winning run on at Plymouth and at home to Bristol next month.

For now, their immediate challenge is a third of potentially five meetings with Nottingham this season, at Kingston Park in the British & Irish Cup quarter-finals this Friday night.

Falcons show plucky Jersey no mercy

Discussion started by FalconsRugby.org.uk , 30/03/2013 10:29

FalconsRugby.org.uk
30/03/2013 10:29

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Monkey1
30/03/2013 20:49

Cheers Leipy. We went to find you after the game so junior could see Uncle Leipy but you had scarpered.

If any Jersey supporters read this please post news of McCrea. Never good to see a player stretchered off.

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Leipziger
30/03/2013 21:48

Cheers Monkey. We were in the West until about 8pm actually, wanted to see someone we met in Jersey. Didn't see you guys at all but hope the little fella enjoyed his first Good Friday.

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BigVic
31/03/2013 07:42

Monkey, Jersey's website report of the match says that their injured player suffered a "badly dislocated ankle".

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Monkey1
31/03/2013 09:29

Cheers Vic. Sounds painful & rather disgusting but not as bad as I feared.

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