With welcome news on the injury front this week, the Falcons lined up like this: Matthew Burke, Tom May, Mathew Tait, Jamie Noon, James Hoyle, Dave Walder, Hall Charlton, Micky Ward, Matt Thompson, David Wilson, Andy Perry, Andy Buist, Owen Finegan, Ben Woods, Colin Charvis (captain). Replacements: Robbie Morris, Andy Long, Cory Harris, Luke Gross, Jason Smithson, James Grindal, Toby Flood.

The visitors featured Semo Sititi at Number 8, no doubt again anxious to get one up on his former employers, and British Lion Chris Cusiter at scrum half. However, Gregor Townsend, Scotland's most-capped player, was ruled out through injury.

The first score of a thoroughly entertaining first half came for the visitors, when after a high tackle in midfield in only the first minute, fly half Charlie Hore slotted a penalty from 35m. However, this did not ruffle the Falcons’ feathers, who set about mounting a series of penetrating attacking moves with the quick hands of Hall Charlton prominent. The scrum half was starting his first game since hobbling off injured at Netherdale in late October, and with Dave Walder back at fly half following his misfortune against Worcester and Tom May looking sharp on his return, there was a comfortably familiar look to the Falcons’ attacking play.

On 4 minutes, Semo Sititi felt the full force of a crunching Andy Perry tackle as he sought to rampage through and this warmed the crowd immensely. There is nothing quite like seeing one of your former players completely flattened on their return. After sustained pressure, skipper Colin Charvis blasted through for the first try of the game on 7 minutes after Owen Finegan and Ben Woods had made the yards. Matt Burke narrowly missed the conversion and it was 5-3. A rather see-saw spell of play saw the visitors notch a score of their own on 10 minutes, Stuart Moffat touching down to finish off a nice move after a tap penalty. Hore converted with no fuss to make it 10-5 to the Celtic League side.

A particularly pleasing thing in the first quarter was the work of Owen Finegan. The Aussie World Cup winner –who has not enjoyed the best of starts to his Falcons career – seemed intent on breaking the defensive line with aggressive intent at every opportunity and the crowd warmed to his efforts. After more pressure from the home side, in which the running of both wingers James Hoyle and Tom May was prominent, the big Aussie forward powered through a last ditch tackle and, although on the floor, reached over to touchdown. His compatriot at full back eased over the conversion and the Falcons were ahead for the first time in the game. 12-10 on 15 minutes.

Four minutes later came a third try for the Falcons as Borders found themselves under the cosh. Jamie Noon and Ben Woods did superb work in the build-up before the ball came to Matt Burke who produced another champagne moment with a gorgeous feint and delicious pass to send Mathew Tait through for the score. Burke drilled the conversion for a 19-10 lead with a quarter of the game gone. It was breathtaking stuff! The visitors were a dogged lot though and within a minute or so they had pegged it back to 19-13 courtesy of another Charlie Hore penalty after a Falcons’ hand intervened in a ruck.

The recent improvement in the Falcons forward play was much in evidence on the half-hour when, with no hesitation, Dave Walder drilled a penalty into touch after we bossed a scrum in the Borders’ 22. From the line-out, the pack formed a powerful driving maul to blast over the line, but the Irish referee deemed the ball to have been held up. While the Falcons’ players seemed to be in no doubt that the ball had been grounded, the crowd seemed less certain – to be fair it didn’t look a bad decision to the author (who went to the bar and missed a Borders try from flanker Andrew Miller in the closing minute of the half. Hore stepped up to the add the extras, although I’m told that there was much hilarity when it was announced that Dave Walder had converted the try for the Falcons!!).

So 19-20 down after a highly entertaining first half. The perplexing thing was that we had scored three tries, looked very slick when getting the ball out wide, largely dominated up front (with Owen Finegan at last raising a cheer for the right reasons) and yet we were behind. To blame was some general ill-discipline and handling errors - particularly at the restarts. Rob Andrew evidently wasn’t happy though, as the players were out long before the break was over going though their warm-up routines. Hall Charlton gave way to James Grindal and Robbie Morris replaced Micky Ward at the interval.

Truth be told, despite the best efforts of the Border Reivers, while the second half wasn’t exactly one-way traffic, the Falcons moved up a gear or two and were comfortable winners in the end.  We ran in four unanswered tries – all clinically converted by Matt Burke – with the visitors failing to register a single point. The first of these came on 42 minutes after a lovely move down the flank in front of the West Stand with the pace of James Hoyle and Mathew Tait too hot to handle for the visitors. Matt Burke kept the ball alive with a deft flick off the floor and seconds later scorched through on the angle to touch down. That was the bonus point try – possibly critical with regard to the later rounds of the competition. 26-20 with the conversion.

On 50 minutes, lock Andy Buist got his first try of the season diving across the whitewash after a period of sustained pressure notable for a Charvis rampage off the base of a scrum. 33-20 with the conversion. With that score creating a bit of breathing space, Andy Long replaced Matt Thompson and Cory Harris came on for Owen Finegan. The involvement of the Kiwi was too be unfortunately short-lived. Borders were handed a lifeline two minutes later when the Falcons were marched back 10m after a penalty was awarded, but Charlie Hore saw his effort go just wide.

Immediately afterwards there was a worrying five minute pause to proceedings when Cory Harris remained motionless on the grass near the halfway line with what seemed like a serious head injury. To ease the tension, the South Stand teased Matt Burke with a few comments regarding the North-East weather and his immediate playing future (all taken with humour and stylish grace, as you would expect). With Harris stretchered-off and taken to hospital, Luke Gross came on with 25 minutes to play. Andy Buist moved to flanker

The final quarter was a rather scrappy affair. Semo Sititi nearly burst through for a try that he would have surely loved to have scored, but the home defence held firm. Micky Ward reappeared on 61 minutes as David Wilson limped off. Five minutes later Ben Woods (named man of the match) notched his first score of the season flying off the base of a ruck in fine style. 40-20 with the conversion. Shortly afterwards, Mathew Tait left the arena after receiving treatment, with Toby Flood slotting in at outside centre. Noon and Charvis were never going to lessen the intensity and on 70 minutes the duo launched a bone-crunching double hit in midfield. With time running out it was left to Micky Ward to get the seventh try – his first for many a moon – after the Falcons again opted for a line-out following the award of a penalty to the Falcons.  (Mark’s note – Micky’s first try since 27 December 2000 against Bristol at Kingston Park, and only the fifth try in his 137 matches for the club)

All thoughts now turn to the final pool game against Brive on Saturday. The Falcons are in the last eight of the competition whatever. However, a win in France would book home ties in the quarter- and semi-finals. Remember, winning this competition is worth a place in the Heineken Cup next season –as long as we are still in the Premiership!

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