 | Saracens 22 (17)
Tries: Bartholomeusz, Randell (2)
Cons: Jackson (2)
Pen: Jackson Newcastle 20 (5)
Tries: Grimes, Tait, Stephenson
Con: Wilkinson
Pen: Wilkinson |
England captain Jonny Wilkinson missed three crucial late kicks as Newcastle were knocked out of the Powergen Cup by Premiership rivals Saracens. Wilkinson had watched from the bench as the Falcons looked out of sorts and fell 17-5 behind at half-time.
But his second-half introduction inspired a stunning comeback, culminating in him sending Michael Stephenson in for a 75th-minute try.
Wilkinson's missed conversion and drop goal efforts, however, proved costly.
"I was disappointed that both of the drops were hit and hope," he said.
"If I had my chance again I would like to have kept the ball in hand but we had reached dead-end situations.
"Once I dropped the ball on the second attempt I knew it was gone. It fell awkwardly."
Saracens looked to be cruising to the win at the interval, courtesy of quick tries from Mark Bartholomeusz and Taine Randell.
Glen Jackson's cross-field kick ripped open Newcastle's defence, enabling Dan Harris to send Bartholomeusz under the posts.
Four minutes later - on the half-hour mark - Randell charged over from the back of a line-out.
Saracens were heading for a 17-0 half-time lead, only for Kevin Yates to be sin-binned. Stuart Grimes made the most of the player advantage to score.
Matthew Tait scored seven minutes after the re-start, and replacement Wilkinson duly converted.
Randell added a second try with 20 minutes left on the clock before a Wilkinson penalty brought the deficit back to five points.
The England captain looked to have done enough for the win as he danced through Saracens' defence to leave the way clear for Stephenson in the 75th minute.
But he hit the post with the conversion and was off target twice again as he tried to steal victory with drop-goal attempts.
New Saracens coach Steve Diamond revealed he had panicked watching Wilkinson in action.
Diamond said: "I feared the game was slipping away at half-time when they brought Wilkinson on.
"Everyone knows how good he is at controlling a game and getting into positions. But at the end we had enough balls to hold on."
Saracens: Bartholomeusz; Haughton, Sorrell, Harris, Vaikona; Jackson, Williams: Yates, Cairns, Visagie; Raiwalui, Fullarton; Randell, Sanderson, Vyvyan
Replacements: Kyriacou, Lloyd, Chesney, Seymour, Rauluni, Castaignede, Bailey.
Newcastle: Burke; May, Noon, Mayerhofler, Stephenson; Walder, Charlton; Peel (c), Thompson, Ward; Gross, Grimes; Charvis, Harris, Dowson.
Replacements: Isaacson, Long, Hurter, McCarthy, Wilkinson, Grindal, Tait.
Referee: C White (RFU).
MMIX
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I feared the game was slipping away at half-time when they brought Wilkinson on