The Falcons missed a glorious opportunity to close the gap on the other Heineken Cup challengers in the Premiership and have now probably lost the chance to re-qualify for the tournament via their Premiership position, meaning that bar success in the Wildcard lottery, this league season has been disappointing.

Tom May scored a try within a minute of kick-off at Kingston Park but a series of missed kicks let Bath kick their way to a 9-5 win and move themselves within 2 points of Sale. The regular season champions have now well and truly opened up the battle with the Mancs for third place.

Kingston Park was bathed in fog up until around 2.30pm, Easter Sunday morning not having been kind to Newcastle weather-wise, and this meant the ground wasn’t even visible from the Twin Farms.

Despite the mist clearing, the writing was on the wall for the afternoon as soon as this Falcon got into the ground today, with Dog (Brown Ale for those who don’t know) not being amongst the alcoholic delights available in the West Stand bar this afternoon.

After we found our seats way up with the gods, it was announced that the Newcastle team was as announced, with Michael Stephenson moved to full-back and David Walder to fly-half to accommodate Jamie Noon returning to centre and compensate for Jonny Wilkinson’s injury. Galo Alvarez Quinones made his debut at tighthead prop, while Stuart Grimes also returned from Scotland duty. Fit-again scrum-half Hall Charlton made his first start since Newport in January.

Walder kicked off southwards, and Phil Dowson was able to gather the ball from the dropout. The Falcons moved the ball left to Stephenson, and as he entered the 22 he offloaded to Walder. Geordies screaming, Walder passed to right wing Tom May and he went over in the corner for the opening try after less than a minute of play! 5-0 to the lads, and that is how it stayed as Walder missed the conversion.

Bath then put us under pressure with a succession of scrums, but we managed to hold out with some sterling defensive work. Walder was kicking well from the hand in defence when necessary, however, when we did get the ball with a chance to attack or at least to run from the 22, we just kept exchanging up-and-unders with the Bath backs. Seldom finding touch, just hoofing again and again. Though we did have the odd chance to score, and Walder missed a penalty, the game was from a purist, running point of view not the best. Chris Malone reduced Bath’s deficit with a penalty, but when Walder had another chance around the halfway line, right on half time, but he pushed his penalty wide of the south goal.

To make matters worse, we had lost captain Ian Peel to injury, Micky Ward replacing him. Referee Chris White frustrated the home crowd, inexplicably giving Bath scrums when the only possible offence that could have been committed was Bath holding onto the ball in the tackle. But at half time, we did lead 5-3. However, apart from early doors when we got a try and Bath put us under pressure, neither side looked that likely to score.

At the break Rob Andrew sent on Australian Matt Burke to replace Ollie Phillips, with Stephenson going to left wing. Unfortunately the second half was little better than the first initially, as another penalty from Malone edged the visitors ahead. A drop goal gave Bath the daylight of a 9-5 advantage, meaning we needed a try to win the game. Our chances were not helped by Micky Ward being carried off, and having to play a lot of the second half with two hookers (Matt Thompson and man of the match Andy Long) and only one prop, David Wilson, making his comeback from a long injury and still yet to start a senior game.

We brought on Mathew Tait and Epi Taione for Stephenson and Mike McCarthy respectively, and had a darn good go at battering through the Bath defence in the last few minutes. Yet however wide we spread the ball we just couldn’t find a gap, and deep into injury time the referee gave a penalty to end our fightback. After kicking for touch, Bath retained possession before kicking the ball out on halfway for full time. Our second home defeat of the season was confirmed.

Credit to the players who applauded the fans after the game, they must have felt pretty low as they realised we probably now have only Gloucester’s sixth place to aim for in the Premiership. Should we go down in Paris on Saturday, we will probably need to qualify for the European Cup next season by winning the Wildcard tournament.

The game today was in my view not a great spectacle, bedevilled by long kicks down the other team’s full-backs throat, rarely if ever finding touch or even apparently aiming for it, simply chasing and hoping to charge down the return kick. Therefore it is probably not a surprise that the game was won by three Bath kicks out of four penalties and drop goals attempted, whilst apart from our try we failed to score one conversion and three penalties, which if all had been converted would have seen us win 16-12.

The referee did us few favours, but the fact is that both teams either decided to or were forced to play slow and dirty, and Bath were better at it.

At least we can now completely focus on Paris, which when one looks at our form since that glorious January match against Newport it seems we have been looking at for some time. 6 games, 1 win, 1 draw, 4 defeats, and a measly SEVEN points from a possible THIRTY! This run includes three winnable home games, and trips to Harlequins and Saracens where we should have been looking for something.

One positive from today is our first Premiership bonus point since November 21st, but negatives are that we lost our two best props to injury, Ward and Peel, and we must now pray both are fit by Saturday, as they will be needed for Stade.

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