OK, I don’t mean that, of course we’d take exactly the same at Leicester in four weeks time (or probably against Worcester next Sunday, for that matter), but today was a classic Falcons win – a nervous lead, the opposition in the ascendancy and looking set to steal it, before our boys gained the reward for their efforts for a close victory.

The game started brilliantly from a Geordie point of view with Mathew Tait taking the ball outside the 22 and beating the defence for the opening try within four minutes, Jonny Wilkinson converting.  However the home side cut our lead when Carl Hayman gave away  penalty in front of goal, although I thought personally that Saracens were holding on, and Gordon Ross kicked the three.

Wilkinson and Ross both missed further penalties, before (I may be setting a tone here) Saracens were given a scrum despite knocking on themselves, but from that the Falcons received a further penalty near halfway, Wilkinson again off target.

The Falcons were attacking well with pace and a spread across the backline saw a chip sent over, and Saracens carried behind the tryline and kicked for touch.  From the lineout maul, hooker Fabio Ongaro was sin-binned and we reacted positively by keeping the move going.

From a lineout, the ball came left and Brent Wilson’s run set up Toby Flood for the second try.  Despite the missed conversion, every Falcons was happy with 3-12!

For most of the rest of the half it was end-to-end stuff, although Tom May might have done better when he dropped a chip right into his hands on halfway.  Ross and Wilkinson exchanged further penalties before the break to put us 6-15 ahead.  If Sean Davey had decided to give full-time then, I doubt any away fan would’ve complained about only getting half a match for their money, I certainly wouldn’t have!

But unfortunately, back in the 1800s God deigned that rugby would be an 80, not 40, minute game, and within ten minutes of the restart replacement Glen Jackson kicked a penalty.  Another good run from Brent Wilson on the right set up May to develop an attack but the ball was again dropped, and the end-to-end nature of the game continued with Saracens having a try disallowed for being held up, thanks to the TMO.

Into the last quarter of the match, the hosts began to turn the screw and attacked strongly on the right.  Out last-ditch defence held out, if our more advanced tackling was more questionable, but the ball came left and Neil de Kock crossed the line.  All eyes were on the screen as the referee again went upstairs, and as three angles showed nothing, the next showed the ball did not touch the ground, and a roar of “Falcons, Falcons” came from the Lower-North Rous.

Unbelievably, to disbelief amongst the travelling fans, Mr Davey signalled for a try!  Mercifully (so far), the conversion went wide to leave the Falcons with a slender lead, and we went straight back on the attack but when Saracens failed to roll away on their own five-metre line, they themselves received a scrum.

However we had performed over the match, I defy any Falcons fan to say they were really surprised when, in the 74^th minute, Hugh Vyvyan charged over from the 22 through some weak tackling to score his side’s second, and seemingly the winning, try.  The missed conversion seemed incidental.  19-15 to Saracens.

But the away fans would not be beaten.  We had destroyed the home crowd like Andy Sheridan does an Australian tight-head for 74 minutes, what was another six minutes?  With 200 Geordies bringing the roof down, the Falcons charged forward, and as phase after phase of attacking passed, eventually Jamie Noon drove over the line.  Yet again, the TMO was called on, and this time the “Falcons, Falcons” chant came when we saw Noonie down the ball in the goal area.

All eyes on the referee…the arm went up, cue pandemonium in the away end!  The conversion by Wilkinson meant that a kick from Saracens would at least give us a draw (although we already know how devastating such results can be), and the home attack seemed relentless as and after the clock reached zero.

Then, right in front of the travelling fans, Saracens were dragged into touch.  Surely this was it…the referee swept his arm!  YES!  Falcons fans jumped and hugged and shouted and just generally went mad, celebrating a rare away win and a fantastic effort both on and off the field.

After the game, as the home fans snuck out and one away fan sitting two seats away from me threw his Guinness up in celebration, we Geordies did not move but to hug each other and cheered out warriors as they came out to celebrate.  Mark Sorenson decided to come over on his own for some reason, but after another top individual performance and being part of a destructive lineout, why not?

I’m pretty knackered now, my head is sore, my throat is hoarse, and I have to be at work at half six in the morning, but you know what?  I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else but Vicarage Road today, and I can’t wait until the game next week!

The icing on the gravy was texting the Talksport rugby show with my delight after getting home, and having it read out!

Happy new year, and see you all then.

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