Leeds denied by May
Leeds Carnegie came so close to securing their first win of the season ¿ only for a late drop goal to seal the victory for Newcastle.
Last Updated: 05/10/07 10:17pm
Leeds Carnegie came so close to securing their first win of the season - only for a late drop goal to seal the victory for Newcastle.
Leeds, who have lost all their games since returning to the top flight, must have thought they were on course for a precious win when Erik Lund crossed in the corner.
However Leigh Hinton's missed conversion was to prove costly as the Falcons snatched the points.
The in-form Tom May was the Newcastle hero, adding a drop goal to his first-half try. Steve Jones and Matt Burke also slotted over drop goals, while Andy Long crossed for a try.
However it was Leeds who got off to a flying start when Colin Noon's pass set up Joe Bedford up to score after seven minutes.
Newcastle's response was swift as a brilliant cross-field run from May saw the Falcons wing notch up his third try of the season.
Deficit
And by the half-hour mark Newcastle were 15-5 in front. First fly-half Jones was on target with the first drop goal of the night, while Burke converted after Long had driven over from close range.
Hinton kept Leeds in touch at the break with a penalty, and the Leeds full-back adding a second after the interval to cut the deficit to four points.
A Burke drop goal kept the Falcons in control, before Hinton slotted over a penalty.
Leeds then had Newcastle on the ropes when Lund - brother of England international Marcus - powered over. Unfortunately for Leeds, Hinton's conversion hit the post.
And that miss came back to haunt Carnegie when May slotted over a drop goal with eight minutes left.
