News filtered through the pub before kick-off that Cory Harris and Jonny Wilkinson would not be taking the field at Vicarage Road, which meant we fielded 14 Englishmen in the starting lineup, with Aussie Matt Burke as captain.  Jason Smithson made his first senior start at number 8, up against former Falcon Hugh Vyvyan in the home back row.

Saracens took the lead after just a few minutes when Glen Jackson punished a scrum offence with a penalty, and then Tevita Vaikona made a good run down the left from a Burke kick.  We stopped the attack by intercepting a pass but Saracens won a lineout.  Burke it was who had our first real foray upfield, making a run but turning over in the ruck.  After regaining possession, we won a penalty, which David Walder kicked to touch, however from his next kick Ben Skirving cleared up possession for the hosts.

We went further behind when Richard Haughton made a scything run at pace to score around the posts, Jackson’s conversion making the score 10-0.  David Seymour came straight back towards us, but from the tackle we won a scrum.

Newcastle finally got on the scoresheet after 27 minutes, a rolling maul on the right being driven until stationary, and then the ball was moved to the left where James Hoyle was on hand to cross over for his first Falcons try.  Unfortunately Burke couldn’t convert, and Jackson hit a penalty soon after.

Saracens then began a period of intense scrummaging on our line, and as our forwards held on for dear life they conceded scrum after penalty, the main culprit being Robbie Morris, the referee finally had enough and sin-binned Micky Ward for ten minutes.  Although we brought on David Wilson, with only 7 forwards and robbed of our best prop, Saracens pushed us over with ease and Haughton pounced for his second try, which Jackson easily converted.

We could have hit back again just before the break through a fluent attack, but Toby Flood dropped the ball with the home line beckoning.  We managed to win back possession and Burke kicked over a penalty to leave us 20-8 down at the break and with a mountain to climb if the first half had been anything to go by.

The second period began rather scrappily, but we had better territory and Walder pushed a drop goal attempt just to the right of the goal.  Saracens came at us with another pacy attack, they dropped the ball and Hoyle was able to clear, before Matt Burke scored an excellent battling try on the left, though unfortunately he again couldn’t convert.

Any small hopes of a comeback though were quashed when we spilled a kick through and Jackson pounced for a try which he converted himself.  A comeback try from Joe Shaw, a clear score despite the referee going to the video ref, was not enough for a bonus point as it was again unconverted, and we had gone down to another defeat away from home.  European form aside, this is looking like it could be a very, very long season.

Good performers for me were McCarthy, as has been said he is mobile, intelligent and gets through a lot of dirty work, and the clever Flood who played with a flair which suggests he could actually be Mayerhofler’s long term replacement.  I also felt at times we handled the rolling maul better than we have done, although there were occasions in the scrum when our forwards were pushed around like rag dolls.

Whatever, none of this matters because of our league position.  Only results matter now.  With Leeds winning their first game of the season yesterday, we could be bottom by the time we meet Wasps on Sunday should Leeds win at Bath.  It looks now that we will be in a fight for 11^th spot with the Tykes, and therefore the game at Headingley on December 27^th should be a key one in this season.

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon