 | MATCH SUMMARY Newcastle: 17 (7)
Tries: McCarthy, Noon
Cons: Burke (2)
Pens: Walder Wasps: 15 (5)
Tries: Sackey, Staunton
Cons: van Ginsbergen
Pens: van Ginsbergen |
David Walder lifted Newcastle off the base of the Premiership table with the last kick of the game against Wasps. A Mike McCarthy try, converted by Matt Burke, got the hosts off to a flier.
Paul Sackey then went over for Wasps, but Mark van Gisbergen missed the conversion before making some amends by sinking a penalty after the break.
A converted Jeremy Staunton try put Wasps further ahead but a converted Jamie Noon try put the hosts back in front and Walder's penalty sealed it.
Walder made an impact as soon as he replaced Toby Flood in the 51st minute.
The stand-off immediately fed Noon from a scrum and the centre skipped past two tackles to slide in next to the posts, setting up a simple conversion for Burke to narrow the gap to a point.
As the clock ticked down, the Falcons continued to battle and Walder was off-target with a 40-metre drop goal.
But when Tom Rees was adjudged to have killed the ball he was spot on with the resulting penalty and Wasps had no time to reply.
Newcastle coach Rob Andrew: "It's a tight league and again we've shown we can compete with anyone. "It's very encouraging and we've just got to move forward and build on it. If you start worrying in November you're not going to last the season."
Andrew also said wing Tom May, who was stretchered off in the 53rd minute, had been taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg.
He has had X-rays and the Falcons will learn the extent of the damage over the next few days.
Lee Dickson faces an MRI scan on Monday, while substitute prop David Wilson must undergo an X-ray for the ankle injury he suffered 14 minutes into the second half.
Wasps head coach Shaun Edwards: "In the conditions, there were always going to be mistakes but you don't like losing on referees' decisions.
"You don't give them (penalties) away with three seconds to go. We should have been out of sight, but when it's a one-point game you're vulnerable."
Newcastle: Burke (capt); May, Noon, Mayerhofler, Tait; Flood, Grindal; Ward, Long, Morris; Perry, Parling; McCarthy, Harris, Smithson.
Replacements: Dickson for May (53), Walder for Flood (51), Wilson for Ward (41), Thompson for Long (59), Woods for Smithson (53), Finegan for Wilson (55).
Not Used: Buist.
Wasps: Van Gisbergen; Sackey, Erinle, Abbott, Hoadley; Staunton, Reddan; Payne, Gotting, J Dawson; Skivington, R Birkett; Hart, Rees, Dallaglio (capt).
Replacements: King for Staunton (68), Ward for Gotting (7).
Not Used: Mackenzie, Lock, Chamberlain, Honeyben, Baxter.
Att: 7,379
Referee: David Rose (RFU).
MMIX
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