Yet it could all have been so different.  Negative vibes were felt around Kingston Park before kick-off as our team was announced, for the first time this season for a match against anyone but L’Aquila, without Matthew Burke.  Such was noticed as Toby Flood wore a no. 10 shirt in the warm-up and every Geordie’s favourite Australian (I’m assuming none of you like Craig Moore) was nowhere to be seen.  David Walder thus began the game at full-back, although of course we had Anthony Elliott back on the wing after a long-term injury.

Newcastle started decently, with a Flood kick and chase being knocked on by Jamie Noon, and even after we’d won possession back, Saracens did the same and advanced to   A snap temporary replacement between James Grindal and Hall Charlton gave us a touch to think about though, and after 12 minutes Saracens missed their fist penalty after a long period of domination.  Walder attempted to hit back after a lineout and although his drop-goal attempt went just centre metres wide, a penalty after good drives from Colin Charvis and Andy Perry brought about a second chance, which Dave was not about to let pass.

Moving back to the negative side, Flood was replaced by Joe Shaw, being unable to maintain the full-back arts after a particularly nasty ‘tackle’, and Walder missed another penalty.  No Falcon anywhere near me could have failed to here, around this time though (I reckon about 30-32 mins in), a disgruntled Falcon screamed after (I think) Noon dropped the ball in a tackle, “Come on Mayflower!”  Once again, nobody else except this bloke seemed to know that Mark Mayerhofler was playing.  Walder kicked another penalty to put us into the lead at half time at a slender 6-3, as our last chance of the first half ended again with a Noon dropped ball.

The southerners again dominated the beginning of the second half, although their best attack early on was fooled by a Jamie Noon steal.  Eventually, and about time, the first score came.  The Falcons attacked at pace, moving down the left, and good work from Mathew Tait set up Elliott who fought through three tackles to cross for the opening try.  Although the score wasn’t converted, Walder not long after knocked a drop goal through the posts.  At 14-6, as I so often say, we looked like we could get the game won.

But the eight-point-lead was wiped out almost immediately as Saracens came back onto the attack, and replacement Adam Powell waltzed through slack black defending to almost level the scores, as Glen Jackson’s conversion set up a tense 1-point difference.   But somebody forgot to remind the lads to do it in a tense manner, as the final try came after we missed an overlap on the right but were fortunate to find space on the left through Shaw, who scored a vital try which Walder converted.

Glen Jackson’s third penalty gave his side a bonus point but was not enough to deny Newcastle an important and confidence-boosting win ahead of the Six Nations tournament.

Top performer for me was Jamie Noon, as I’ve said he was defensively solid and hungry for work (that last phrase might be copyright of Ian Smith at the BBC), whilst in the forwards Ben Woods showed yet again the potential which means he might just become the player we all want him to be.  Intelligence, speed and skill – these two lacked nothing today.

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