By Leipziger
November 4 2007

The Falcons are still in with a good chance of qualifying for the EDF Energy Cup semi-finals after another tense game, this time winning 29-24 against Newport Gwent Dragons in a game which was a lot tighter than it needed to be as we tried our best to give our opponents the win.

The result leaves us with a direct knock-out tie at Wasps in December, providing they beat Gloucester in High Wycombe this afternoon.

 

The Dragons began the game well and Mathew Tait, playing his first club match of the season, had to make a try-saving tackle following a free-kick from a lineout before the visitors missed a penalty.  Toby Flood scored with his first attempt, although good runs from John Rudd and Tait could have resulted in better.

 

A quarter of the way in the first try came with Steve Jones booting a big kick across the pitch, and some sterling work won the ball back for Jones to finish off with the score himself, Flood’s conversion putting us 10-0 up.

 

Minutes later Joe Bearman was sent to the sin-bin and from the resulting penalty and lineout Brent Wilson was driven over for the second try, and Flood’s excellent conversion seemed to put us firmly in control, especially when Andrew Hall was also carded.

 

However, Martyn Thomas pulled a try back for the Dragons when he intercepted Lee Dickson’s pass in his own half and legged it the length of the field with Tait unable to catch him, and after Aled Thomas converted he missed a penalty right on half-time, but Rudd knocked the ball on right on the try-line leaving everybody with hearts in mouths!

 

Fortunately it was quickly half time, with the Falcons 17-7 ahead.

 

Just a few minutes into the second half Flood took a pass from a maul and kicked across the pitch, Ollie Phillips getting a good bounce and scoring the third try.  Flood’s missed conversion was to be his last meaningful action of the night, as he was replaced by home debutant Alex Tait due to injury.

 

Rhys Thomas (yes another one) began the earnest Newport comeback with a driving try which went unconverted, and though the Dragons knocked on a good chance from a crossfield kick, Andy Williams scored under the posts to reduce our lead to a small and very hairy three points.

 

With Flood and Joe McDonnell off the field, the tension amongst the 7,406 crowd was clear.  We could have pulled six points ahead by kicking a penalty, although it was near halfway, but went for the corner and nothing came of the chance, and similarly a series of scrums on the Dragons’ line couldn’t get us any more points.

 

With nine minutes left, we won a lineout and from the throw Rudd was fed in the middle of the field, and the big guy found pace that certainly I never knew he had to cut towards the line, getting back up from a last-ditch tackle to touchdown, and Jones’ conversion gave us a bit of a cushion.

 

Until only two minutes later Rhys Thomas scored his second try, although fortunately it went unconverted, and the score was 29-24.  In the last seven minutes the Falcons managed to hold on, but after a strong performance in the first half they really shouldn’t have had to.

 

There’s another year off supporters’ lives then, but at least we now go to Wasps with a good chance of making the last 4.  And few would’ve expected that at the beginning of the competition.