Falcons continue to soar

Northampton's proud home record came to an end with a 19-13 defeat to Newcastle on Saturday.

The resurgent Falcons ran in three tries in the opening 11 minutes to end the Saints' unbeaten run on home turf that dated back to March 2007.

The result all but assures Bristol will be relegated as they are now 13 points adrift of 11th-placed Worcester and 20 from Newcastle - who have now won four straight Guinness Premiership games.

The opening blow came in the fifth minute as back-row duo Adam Balding and Brent Wilson provided the initial thrusts down the blindside from a scrum before prop Jon Golding drove over low from close range.

Unmarked Williams

Three minutes later former All Blacks prop Carl Hayman surged through the middle to release Wilson and the flanker found Tom May, who flighted out a kick for the unmarked Danny Williams to touch down off the right wing.

Newcastle then struck again to stretch the lead to 19-0 in the 11th minute after Courtney Lawes had knocked on trying to take a difficult pass.

May scooped up the loose ball and jinked around Northampton's former Falcons scrum-half Lee Dickson and lock Christian Day before racing 50 metres to touch down between the posts, leaving himself a simple conversion.

Fly-half Stephen Myler missed his first penalty opportunity to add to the Saints' woes and he then knocked on at the decisive moment after the home side's rampaging pack had pinned Newcastle on their own line.

First penalty

Williams conceded a penalty and, though the weight of defensive numbers halted Saints centre James Downey short of the try line, Myler finally kicked his first penalty of the game on the 31st minute.

Paul Diggin did get the Saints a try on the stroke of half-time after a one-handed flick pass from centre Chris Mayor.

Myler added the conversion to give his side hope heading into the interval but the second half failed to ever fire, neither side managing another try.

In the end a 74th-minute Myler penalty was the final score on a disappointing afternoon for the Saints as their home fortress was finally penetrated.