Leicester 23-25 Newcastle: Falcons claim dramatic win to boost top-four hopes
Last Updated: 27/04/18 11:42pm
Newcastle scored a stoppage-time try as they edged Leicester 25-23 at Welford Road on Friday to stay on course for a place in the Premiership's title-deciding play-offs.
Forward Ally Hogg's late score, which was reviewed at length before a try was awarded to the former Scotland back-row, and a subsequent conversion by replacement scrum-half Sonatane Takulua's conversion saw Newcastle come from behind to seal a hard-fought win.
Victory took Newcastle, coached by former England No 8 Dean Richards, up to third in the table with one game left.
Only the top four at the end of the regular season go forward to the play-offs, with two semi-finals and a Twickenham final deciding the destiny of the title.
Leicester, one of the traditional giants of English club rugby and a side Richards served with distinction as both player and coach, have not finished outside the top four since 2004.
But the Midlands side are now in danger of missing out. Newcastle's fate is in their own hands ahead of next week's game at home to Wasps.
Leicester, however, must beat Sale, but that may not be enough in itself as Newcastle and Wasps are now on track to join champions Exeter and Saracens in the semi-finals.
Tries by wing Jonny May and lock Mike Fitzgerald -- plus 13 points from the boot of England fly-half George Ford - appeared to have seen Leicester to victory.
But as Richards looked on he saw another former Leicester player help tame the Tigers, with the visitors winning at Welford Road for the first time in 20 years.
Dashing wing Vereniki Goneva scored two tries, while fly-half Joel Hodgson kicked a conversion and penalty, before going off injured while Juan Pablo Socino landed a penalty.
