Newcastle (6) 13 Try: Tait Con: Miller Pens: Gopperth 2
Wing Lesley Vainikolo returned to Gloucester's starting line-up
Welsh fly-half Nicky Robinson kicked 20 points as Gloucester comfortably beat Newcastle at Kingsholm.
Wing Charlie Sharples gave the hosts the lead with a try after seven minutes, which Robinson converted.
Two Jimmy Gopperth penalties closed the gap, but a Robinson penalty gave Gloucester a 10-6 half-time lead.
Robinson kicked four more penalties and a drop-goal after the restart, and an Alex Tait try for the Falcons with four minutes left was merely a consolation.
Gloucester's victory was marred by a serious-looking injury to flanker Akapusi Qera, who left the pitch on a stretcher with his neck in a brace after being treated by paramedics for seven minutes, although he was later said to be fine.
Newcastle showed attacking glimpses during the first half through their inventive fly-half Gopperth.
But Falcons rugby director Steve Bates, whose side have now lost successive Premiership games following three wins in a row, could have few complaints about the outcome.
Gloucester, beaten seven times in their last eight games in all competitions, made a bright start and deservedly went ahead following sustained early pressure.
Aggressive driving work by the forwards punched gaps in Newcastle's defence, and when Robinson quickly moved possession wide, Sharples crossed on an overlap.
Robinson slotted the touchline conversion, but Newcastle were sparked into life by Gopperth, who slotted two penalties in quick succession.
A Robinson penalty edged Gloucester 10-6 ahead, but he missed another chance just before the break before Newcastle blew a glorious scoring chance by knocking on when they had players unmarked five metres from the try-line.
Gloucester made Newcastle pay for their profligacy when Robinson kicked two penalties in three minutes midway through the third quarter.
The Falcons were guilty of some poor technical discipline, and the Gloucester pack did not require a second invitation to start asserting dominance.
Another successful Robinson penalty - his fourth - came when the Falcons forwards again blatantly infringed, although referee Rob Debney continued to ignore a sin-bin option.
Gloucester then suffered an injury blow when Qera was carried off after a collision with Newcastle number eight Filipo Levi.
A lengthy delay ensued while the prone 25-year-old received medical attention, but it was Gloucester who regrouped quickest after the stoppage.
Luke Narraway - returning after summer surgery on a bulging disc in his back - replaced Qera, and Gloucester continued to dominate the territorial battle, pinning Newcastle back as conditions deteriorated.
A short-range Robinson drop-goal and penalty rubber-stamped the result and left the Falcons to reflect on a dismal afternoon when little went right for them.
They went in search of a consolation try as the clock ticked down, and Tait provided it, with his fellow replacement Rob Miller adding the conversion.
Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath:
"We had to grind out a win in the right way in conditions that weren't great. Winning is everything - it doesn't matter if you win well or win ugly.
"There are no easy games in this league. It was a game we had to win going into two Heineken Cup matches against Glasgow in the next fortnight."
Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates: "We created two or three really good chances in the first half, but we didn't take them.
"The breakdown became more and more messy in the second half, and we kept giving away penalties. That was the difference in the end.
"It was a pretty even game on most fronts. We just gave them too many opportunities."
Gloucester: Morgan, Sharples, Simpson-Daniel, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Vainikolo, Robinson, R. Lawson, Wood, S. Lawson, Somerville, Attwood, Brown, Strokosch, Qera, Delve.
Replacements: Spencer for Morgan (71), Doran-Jones for Somerville (66), Narraway for Qera (54).
Not Used: Dawidiuk, Dickinson, Eustace, Lewis, Molenaar.
Replacements: Tait for Williams (47), Miller for Gopperth (73), Pilgrim for Charlton (64), Ovens for Golding (47), Thompson for Vickers (52), Sorenson for Swinson (51), Welch for Afu (59).
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