Falcons hold off Bourgoin

Newcastle stood firm in the face of a late Bourgoin onslaught to open their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign with a 22-16 win on home soil.

The Falcons overcame an early 6-0 deficit to seize control of the Pool Three fixture thanks to tries from Jeremy Manning, Joe Graham and Luke Fielden.

Manning also booted a conversion and a penalty before making way for Joel Hodgson, who added a further three points with a penalty of his own.

At one stage the hosts led 22-9 but Jeremy Gondrand's score with 11 minutes to go set up a grandstand finish at Kingston Park.

Determined defence

It needed some determined work in defence for Newcastle to cling on and register a victory that should provide a real shot in the arm for Alan Tait's side, having lost four of their five Aviva Premiership outings so far this year.

Despite a pair of Sebastien Laloo penalties putting Bourgoin six points clear it was the Falcons who made all the early running, scrum-half Micky Young proving particularly lively from the base of the ruck.

Only some poor footwork by Mark Wilson stopped them from scoring before their period of pressure was finally rewarded with a try from Manning.

The fly-half - standing in for Jimmy Gopperth - dummied his way over on the right following a superb break by Luke Eves down the middle.

Manning missed the conversion but was accurate five minutes later when hooker Joe Graham burrowed his way over following sustained pressure close to the French team's try-line.

A 12-6 scoreline at half time didn't do Newcastle's performance justice, though the lead would have been bigger had Brent Wilson not failed to take a straightforward chance when he fumbled Manning's cross-kick.

Overlap

Penalties from Manning and Laloo meant the gap remained the same until the 62nd minute - winger Fielden touching down following an overlap with debutant Hodgson adding the extras.

But replacement scrum-half Gondrand's converted try got Bourgoin back in the game five minutes later and only a tremendous tackle by James Fitzpatrick denied him getting over for a second time.

The bone-crunching hit, which led to a fracas that seemed to include Bourgoin substitute Erwan Lapteff throwing a punch, proved crucial in the final reckoning, with Newcastle hanging on through to the final whistle.

Meanwhile in the other Amlin Challenge Cup game taking place on Thursday night, Stade Francais ran in nine tries to hammer Crociati Rugby 57-6.

Winger Martin Rodriguez crossed twice for the Top 14 powerhouses while Scotland international Hugo Southwell also went over. Noel Oelschig kicked six conversions in an extremely one-sided Pool Four fixture.