Chris Ashton scores as Saracens beat Newcastle 21-6
Last Updated: 24/12/16 5:40pm
Chris Ashton made a try-scoring return from his 13-week suspension to help Saracens beat Newcastle 21-6 and remain top of the Aviva Premiership table.
The 29-year-old wing came on as a second-half replacement after completing his latest ban, for biting the arm of Northampton prop Alex Waller in September, and made the immediate impact he would have hoped for at Allianz Park.
Newcastle got off to a solid start and piled on some pressure onto to their hosts but could only come away with a Joel Hodgson penalty that Owen Farrell cancelled out with one of his own straight from the restart.
The Falcons continued to attack and took the lead once again with another Hodgson penalty but it was Saracens who scored the first try of the game when Marcelo Bosch broke through the Newcastle defence and went over.
Both sides continued to show attacking intent but it was Saracens who took a 13-6 lead into the break after another Farrell penalty.
The second half was similar to the first with neither side able to make the most of their chances until the 70th minute when Farrell kicked his third penalty to give Saracens a 10-point lead.
Falcons' pack continued to have the better of their rivals in the set-piece but the service the backs got could not be turned into points.
And Farrell kicked Saracens further ahead with a penalty before the home side finished strongly.
Ashton was introduced in the 49th minute and he was given a resounding reception by the Allianz Park crowd.
And the man discarded by England coach Eddie Jones showed he had lost no sense of awareness during his enforced lay-off as he popped up on the far side to catch Farrell's pass and stroll over for the final say.
