This was the Falcons' sixth defeat in a row and although they played with great spirit and commitment, once again they failed to turn possession into points. It's a depressingly familiar story this season.
Treviso are a big, strong physical side currently riding high in the Italian league and boast a host of internationals. With ball in hand they always looked menacing but it was the Falcons who drew first blood, Liam Botham slotting over a penalty after six minutes following a strong charge upfield.
The Falcons had a narrow escape on ten minutes when full-back Jamie Noon badly misjudged a kick ahead by Treviso but he redeemed himself by beating his opponent to the touchdown. The home side should have scored a minute later when they somehow managed to knock on with a three-man overlap and the try line beckoning.
As if we haven't got enough injury worries at the moment, Michael Stephenson limped off the field after 12 minutes with what looked like ligament trouble and is likely to be out for several weeks. But when you're down even Lady Luck deserts you.
After 14 minutes Treviso got the try they'd been threatening to score. Slick handling created an overlap for winger Mazzucato to touch down near the corner. Treviso full-back Simon Mason, himself a former Newcastle player, added the points.
The home side went further ahead on 20 minutes when the Falcons were penalised for offside at a scrum. But this was no one-sided contest and the Falcons surged back on to the attack. Jamie Noon was forced out at the corner flag when you felt he should have scored. Then Tom May was grounded just three metres short of the Treviso line. But this sustained Falcons' pressure produced only a penalty from a very kickable position which Botham managed to miss. Hurry back Jonny!
HALF TIME: Treviso 10 Falcons 3
It was not one of Jamie Noon's better days at the office. Within a minute of the restart he was penalised for holding on in the tackle and that man Mason made no mistake with the penalty.
As a rugby spectacle it was thrilling stuff to watch with first the Falcons, then Treviso piling on the pressure. But the home side forged further ahead on 60 minutes with a well-worked try by Treviso centre Visentin in the left-hand corner. Once again the immaculate Simon Mason converted.
By now Treviso were starting to give away one penalty after another but for some inexplicable reason Newcastle captain Hugh Vyvyan spurned almost every opportunity to kick at goal, preferring to kick for touch instead. If this tactic had led to a try it would have been understandable. But it didn't.
With Treviso down to fourteen men after a sin-binning the Falcons piled on the pressure. Joe Shaw almost squeezed in at the corner. The try came eventually when substitute scrum half James Grindal put in a neat cross-kick which Liam Botham gathered to cross the line. Unfortunately Botham failed to convert his own try.
The dying minutes of the game were marred by scuffles and fisticuffs. A 20-8 defeat would have been disappointing but not disastrous. But then deep into injury time Mazzucato grabbed another try for Treviso which Simon Mason converted to make it 27-8.
On the final whistle a number of coins were thrown in the direction of the Falcons fans by Treviso supporters. Cushions were also thrown on to the pitch. You can only wonder what might have happened if the home side had lost! Either way such behaviour is unacceptable in rugby at any level.
The worrying aspect of this result is how the Falcons, with so much possession, failed to score more than one try. The truth is the backs simply aren't functioning as a coherent unit at the moment. Delivery is slow and the passing poor. Without Jonny controlling things no one seems to be in charge. We have a specialist forwards coach, perhaps we need a backs coach too.
Can the Falcons overturn a 19 point deficit at Kingston Park? It's a tall order and with survival in the Zurich Premiership the top priority you have to wonder if a long campaign in Europe is really a good thing. I expect the Falcons to salvage some pride next Sunday but I for one won't shed too many tears if we win by less than 19 points.
FINAL SCORE : TREVISO 27 FALCONS 8
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