Aviva Premiership: Hook leads Gloucester win over Newcastle
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 27/02/16 6:42pm
Fifteen points from James Hook kept Gloucester in Aviva Premiership play-off contention with a 32-6 victory over Newcastle at Kingsholm.
Hook scored an individual try and slotted over a pair of penalties and two conversions to help his side to an important win at home, while Bill Meakes, Ross Moriarty, and Tom Savage also scored tries for Gloucester. Billy Twelvetrees added a conversion and Craig Willis kicked two penalties for the Falcons.
Gloucester could have won more convincingly after leading 20-0 midway through the first half, but three missed kicks from Hook and an error-ridden second half kept the scoreline respectable for a Falcons side hit by the late withdrawal of Andy Goode through injury.
Matt Kvesic was on the field before the second minute had elapsed as Jacob Rowan was stunned in making a tackle and helped off. The replacement flanker was on in time to see Hook first miss a penalty then kick one to give Gloucester an early lead.
The hosts continued to dominate the opening period, and they were rewarded with their first try when a clever kick ahead from Willi Heinz saw Meakes collect and score for Hook to convert.
Hook then missed a penalty but he made amends by handing off a weak tackle from Newcastle prop Tai Vea to score a try, which was converted for a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Hook extended that advantage with his second penalty before Newcastle suffered a further setback when flanker Mayhew suffered an injury, but they did get on the scoreboard with a penalty from Willis.
However Willis was at fault for Gloucester's next score when he failed to stop Moriarty, who powered past him for the home side's third try, after an excellent pass from Mariano Galarza set up the Welsh flanker.
With the last play of the half Willis kicked his second penalty, but his side still trailed 25-6 at the interval.
In the second half Gloucester resumed control, but for a long period careless errors and frequent concessions of penalties prevented them from capitalising.
Almost the entire half was played in Newcastle territory but it remained scoreless until six minutes from time when Savage crashed over for the bonus-point try.