So let's call a spade a spade – yesterday's 'performance' by our Falcons was absolute, utter garbage. I can remember pretty much three real try-scoring chances we created all game, and we scored from one of them. With 77 minutes gone. And that is probably the amount of players who shouldn't pray Dave Thompson still pays their wages this week.

But it was only our reserves. That might well be, but this is a competition with a Heineken Cup place at the end of it (like the club I have ambitions to see us playing Munster and Stade, unlike the club I'm not willing to wait until the year 3000 when we finish in the top 6 to see it) and we had some hugely experienced players out there – Micky Ward, Mark Sorenson and Hall Charlton – and internationals from Tonga and South Africa, along with our two best wingers.

Speaking of Tom Biggs, I think he got more ball in the first 15 minutes than in the rest of the season, and together with man of the match Josh Afu is one of the few Falcons who might not have been ashamed to show his face in the West Stand last night.

Quins' squad also included a number of players I'd never heard of, but that might not have meant anything. Put bluntly, for both the teams fielded and with hindsight the 'product' provided, anything more than bottom prices would've been a scandal.

After former Falcon Rory Clegg kicked Harlequins into the lead with a penalty, Danny Williams dropping a pass with one defender to beat was one of our rare chances in a scrappy first half.

Clegg and England age group colleague Rob Miller exchanged penalties to keep the away lead at three points, while Miller screwed another kick wide.

Prince Harry's alter ego had a canny game I thought, he was quick and creative although there were a few errors, while Miller was quiet. Backing him up, pink-sleeved Spencer Davey looked lively in his first match following knee surgery, in contrast to the weak, fumbling Gcobani Bobo. I'd say we'll get rid of him at the end of the season but can we afford to?

Anyway, Tom Catterick saved a try by chasing back and touching down a kick through, but from a similar move Sam Smith got to the ball first and with Clegg's conversion Quins took control.

A break by Miller in the 22 was the only other real action from a pink and black point of view in the first half, which ended 3-13. Clegg knocked over another two penalties in a second half in which Newcastle had possession inside the away half but usually looked devoid of ideas on how to make real progress.

The second half was turned into a bit of a farce by Quins' constant infringements at the breakdown, and just when we thought replacement Will Welch had conned the referee (it's OK when we do it) by taking out a chaser off the ball, he was spotted by the touch judge and warned by the referee. Interesting, it didn't prevent a try but was worse than what Mark Wilson was sin-binned for last week.

Clegg almost made it over the line for Harlequins on the left, but with time running out the home crowd finally got going with Williams making a 30-metre run on the left, although he didn't make it past halfway.

Replacements Charlie Amesbury, who injected a bit of energy when he came on, and Michael Tait combined to put the debutant over for a late score, but with Miller's conversion going wide and less than three minutes left, it hardly mattered.

Oh, and just in case you weren't depressed enough already, Llanelli's bonus point win means the Wasps match in February in this 'cup' should be even more of a farce than yesterday's as we are pretty much out now.

After our 8-19 defeat I felt like I shouldn't complain too much after the glory of Bath, but I realised we cannot just live on one game. That is the only match I have truly enjoyed this season, and if I wasn't such a fool I probably wouldn't bother with Irish next week.

I am reminded of a German line I once heard (though I've never been able to find it online) “Ich lieb' dich, ich kann nicht anders”, means “I love you, I can't help it”. And so it is, I love this club and I want to go to matches, even though amongst the nice wins there are far more big disappointments than glory days.

Even if a lot of that didn't make a lot of flowing sense, hopefully it conveys the message that even I am starting to lose the faith.

After all, a candlelit lasagne and toffee cheesecake once in a while can only compensate for so many stand-ups.

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