Newcastle put last week's 50-point drubbing at Leicester behind them as they ended Leeds' unbeaten start to the season.

The Falcons were never behind in Sunday's encounter at Kingston Park and ultimately outscored the visitors by three tries to two.

Jonny Wilkinson - joined in the home line-up for the first time by brother Mark - provided the invention that proved the difference between the teams in a largely forgetable contest.

The England stand-off kicked 12 points and played the crucial part in second half tries for Stuart Grimes and Jamie Noon as Newcastle moved up through the gears.

Wilkinson opened the scoring with an eighth minute penalty before converting Hall Charlton's opportunist try midway through the first half.

Leeds then battled back to pull level with scores either side of the break.

George Harder crossed for a converted try in the 39th minute and then Braan van Straaten notched his first penalty five minutes into the second period.

Newcastle then pulled ahead through Grimes' try but were pegged back again when Leeds full-back Dan Scarbrough replied in kind after a searing run from Diego Albanese.

Wilkinson responded with his second penalty and then created Noon's vital try, converting it himself to take the Falcons two scores clear at 27-17.

Leeds battled on deep into injury time but the best they could manage was a Van Straaten penalty that earned them a narrow-losers' bonus point.

Newcastle: Botham; Shaw, May, M Wilkinson, Noon; J Wilkinson, Charlton; Peel, Brotherstone, Ward, Hamilton, Grimes, Dunbar, Devonshire, Arnold.
Replacements: Grindal, Hurter, Godman, Otuvaka, Dowson, Springgay, Thompson.

Leeds: Scarbrough; Harder, Davies, Van Straaten, Albanese; Ross, Hegarty; Shelley, Regan, Kerr, Murphy, Palmer, Mather, Hyde, Feaunati.
Replacements: Holt, Rawlinson, Campbell, Hogg, Dickens, Hall, Emmerson.

Referee: David Pearson (RFU)