Two tries
Europe hopes still alive
Two tries
By Leipziger
December 19 2006
The Falcons pulled their most fluent attacking performance of the season out of the hat against Montauban on Sunday, keeping alive their European Challenge Cup hopes with a five-try 35-0 victory at Kingston Park.
Two tries
December 19 2006
The Falcons pulled their most fluent attacking performance of the season out of the hat against Montauban on Sunday, keeping alive their European Challenge Cup hopes with a five-try 35-0 victory at Kingston Park.
Before an alleged crowd of just under 5,000, not quite enough to justify the club producing a programme, the Falcons gained revenge for their defeat in the south of France nine days earlier and are now second in the group behind Brive, with our other French opponents still to travel to the North East.
Only two changes were made to the team beaten in France, Tim Visser and James Grindal coming into the side, but it was Montauban who made the early running, camping in our 22, with a strong run from the area by Andy Perry only alleviating the pressure slightly.
Eventually we were able to break and Toby Flood booted a crossfield kick to the left and captain Matthew Burke caught the ball to score the first try of the day, with Flood converting for a nerve-settling 7-0 lead. However, it was only a quarter of what was required – any kind of bonus point win, preferably without given our visitors a point.
The Falcons were gaining control of the match though, with the forwards showing strength and drive in forcing Montauban to collapse several scrums in the 22, and with no sign of a penalty try, Eni Gesinde peeled off and dived over for the second try.
Minutes later referee Malcolm Changleng ran out of patience and sin-binned away hooker Tony Testa, and from a scrum a messy pass was cleared up for Burke to go over for his second try, which was again converted. Montauban came forward again late in the first half, but weren’t able to score.
The Falcons dominated most of the second period, with Mathew Tait and the superb Flood having close chances, before the bonus point was secured when an overlap on the right saw Tom May free, and he went over for the fourth try.
28-0 with 25 minutes to go, and the job was done, so John Fletcher sent several replacements onto the pitch including Johnny Williams, Cory Harris and Hall Charlton.
Most thought now turned to keeping a clean sheet, that rarest of events, with any chance of winning the group gone and a bonus point already won. As Montauban came back into the game, the Falcons were forced into some strong defending, before on the break Tim Visser fought his way over on the left wing for what we all thought was the fifth try – until the referee gave us a penalty on the 22! We had knocked on, but these rules don’t seem right somehow…
A final try did arrive however, courtesy of no. 8 Brent Wilson from close range, and Flood’s fifth conversion completed a perfect afternoon’s kicking for him. For the first time since February 1999 an away team had failed to score at Kingston Park. For the Falcons, it means two more bonus point wins would ensure second place and, possibly, a place in the quarter-finals still.
Only two changes were made to the team beaten in France, Tim Visser and James Grindal coming into the side, but it was Montauban who made the early running, camping in our 22, with a strong run from the area by Andy Perry only alleviating the pressure slightly.
Eventually we were able to break and Toby Flood booted a crossfield kick to the left and captain Matthew Burke caught the ball to score the first try of the day, with Flood converting for a nerve-settling 7-0 lead. However, it was only a quarter of what was required – any kind of bonus point win, preferably without given our visitors a point.
The Falcons were gaining control of the match though, with the forwards showing strength and drive in forcing Montauban to collapse several scrums in the 22, and with no sign of a penalty try, Eni Gesinde peeled off and dived over for the second try.
Minutes later referee Malcolm Changleng ran out of patience and sin-binned away hooker Tony Testa, and from a scrum a messy pass was cleared up for Burke to go over for his second try, which was again converted. Montauban came forward again late in the first half, but weren’t able to score.
The Falcons dominated most of the second period, with Mathew Tait and the superb Flood having close chances, before the bonus point was secured when an overlap on the right saw Tom May free, and he went over for the fourth try.
28-0 with 25 minutes to go, and the job was done, so John Fletcher sent several replacements onto the pitch including Johnny Williams, Cory Harris and Hall Charlton.
Most thought now turned to keeping a clean sheet, that rarest of events, with any chance of winning the group gone and a bonus point already won. As Montauban came back into the game, the Falcons were forced into some strong defending, before on the break Tim Visser fought his way over on the left wing for what we all thought was the fifth try – until the referee gave us a penalty on the 22! We had knocked on, but these rules don’t seem right somehow…
A final try did arrive however, courtesy of no. 8 Brent Wilson from close range, and Flood’s fifth conversion completed a perfect afternoon’s kicking for him. For the first time since February 1999 an away team had failed to score at Kingston Park. For the Falcons, it means two more bonus point wins would ensure second place and, possibly, a place in the quarter-finals still.
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