Trailing 20-3 at the half, with the solitary points a penalty from fly half Stephen Jones, the sky fell in during the first twenty minutes of the second, when no fewer than five tries went over the Falcons line.

It was a credit to the young Falcons that it didn't get any worse; the predictions on the terrace went as high as 70 points at one stage.

There are very few positive points to come out of the game.  Geoff Parling had a decent game and James Isaacson was feisty and not prepared to go down without a fight, but Mathew Tait and Ollie Phillips saw very little ball as Falcons met a brick wall defence.

For the Wanderers, Loughborough student Tom Tombleson did what he failed to do in the Sevens plate final and scored two tries before being replaced at the half, whilst Neil Starling was cutting through the defensive line at will.  Unfortunately the Falcons lineout fell apart completely as the ball repeatedly went over the top, and embarassingly, from one such lineout Saints flanker Mark Soden merely had to fall over the line to score.

There is room for improvement, certainly; we must not get too downhearted, for Falcons will not come up against a more settled line up all season.  The Academy lads deserve the support, and it was refreshing to see a dozen or so Falcons shirts at the game.

Put this one down as a bad night.

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