POWERGEN CUP Scarlets (12) 22: Tries: Byrne, Gravelle, Hercus Cons: Hercus (2) Pens: Bowen Newcastle (13) 20: Tries: Elliott, May Cons: Wilkinson (2) Pens: Burke, Wilkinson Att: 7,195 Andrew calls for neutral refs

Lee Byrne and Aled Gravelle scored first-half tries for the Scarlets before Mike Hercus added a third early in the second half.

Jonny Wilkinson played 60 minutes for the Falcons and created a try in each half for Anthony Elliott and Tom May.

Wilkinson converted May's try to put the Falcons a point ahead, but Bowen stepped up to snatch a late victory.

An ankle injury to Toby Flood resulted in Wilkinson's introduction after just 19 minutes, but Newcastle will rue not making the switch earlier.

Flood was obviously struggling with his ankle heavy strapped up and Scarlets centre Regan King exploited that weakness to create the first try for Byrne, which Hercus converted.

Loud cheers followed Wilkinson's missed penalty attempt on 23 minutes, but he soon silenced the home crowd with a successful attempt three minutes later to add to Mike Burke's early opener.

And five minutes later, the Falcons took the lead for the first time.

Wilkinson's pin-point cross kick found Elliott on the left wing, and his deft step of his left foot left Byrne for dead. Wilkinson converted.

Gravelle wasted a glorious chance to cut the deficit when he knocked on as he crossed the Newcastle tryline.

But the hooker made amends two minutes later when was at the back of a driving maul to score the Scarlets' second try and bring them to within a point at 12-13 at the break.

Buoyed by that late score, the Scarlets came out all guns blazing for the second-half and needed just two minutes to score their third try.

Effective recycling sucked in the Newcastle defence and Hercus just had enough room to squeeze over in the right corner. The fly-half then added a superb conversion.

Newcastle regained the lead shortly after the hour mark when Wilkinson's precise pass freed May in midfield for their second converted try.

Scarlets lost Inoke Afeaki to the sin bin, but they managed to hold on and Bowen's long-range penalty five minutes from time gave them victory and takes them within sight of a semi-finals place.

Scarlets: Byrne; M. Jones, James, King, Selley; Hercus, Stuart-Smith; I. Thomas, Gravelle, J. Davies, Afeaki, A. Jones, Easterby (capt), Mills, A. Popham.
Replacements: Wyatt for Afeaki (75). Not Used: Williams, Rees, Louw, L. Davies, Bowen, Daniels.

Sin Bin: Afeaki (64).

Newcastle: Burke; May, Tait, Mayerhofler, Elliott, Flood, Charlton, Anderson, Thompson, Paoletti, Perry, Parling, Finegan, Harris, Charvis (capt).
Replacements: J. Wilkinson for Flood (19), Gross for Perry (68). Not Used: Ward, Long, Morris, McCarthy, Grindal.

Ref: N Whitehouse (WRFU).