Falcons eye safety flight

Newcastle boosted their survival hopes while inflicting a massive blow on Gloucester's bid for the top six with a shock win at Kingsholm.

The Falcons' first league away win for almost 14 months was secured through tries by flanker Ally Hogg and replacement back-row forward Mark Wilson, while captain Jimmy Gopperth kicked 19 points.

Gloucester trailed 19-6 at the half but led by a point with nine minutes left, only for Newcastle to surge clear at the death, denying the hosts even a losing bonus point.

The Falcons made an encouraging start, taking a seventh-minute penalty when Gopperth found his range from 40 metres, and he doubled that advantage 11 minutes later as Gloucester struggled for rhythm.

Gopperth's second successful strike took him past 200 Premiership points for the season, yet Gloucester cut their deficit through a Freddie Burns penalty that closed an error-strewn opening quarter.

Newcastle, though, were composed and confident despite their alarming league position, and they enjoyed territorial supremacy against opponents lacking direction or desire.

Burns kicked Gloucester level, yet Newcastle then raised the stakes by scoring 13 unanswered points in an 11-minute spell.

Gopperth booted two more penalties as Gloucester continued to find themselves on the wrong side of referee Tim Wigglesworth, and then their defence was unlocked by the New Zealander.

Gloucester, having blown a try-scoring chance of their own through laboured passing, were forced onto the back foot by Newcastle's superior endeavour, and Gopperth found Hogg with a defence-splitting pass.

Scotland international Hogg touched down between the posts, and Gopperth's conversion gave the Falcons a 19-6 advantage as the Gloucester players trooped off with boos ringing in their ears.

And their return for the second period was only greeted by tepid applause after comfortably Gloucester's worst 40-minute effort at Kingsholm this season.

Foothold

Burns cut the gap to 10 points with another penalty, but Newcastle quickly rediscovered an attacking foothold courtesy of centre Jamie Helleur's powerful break.

Gloucester, somewhat predictably, could not clear possession away without conceding another penalty, yet Gopperth this time sent an angled strike wide, his first miss at the sixth attempt.

Newcastle's impressive defensive organisation frustrated a much-vaunted Gloucester back division. On the times it appeared Gloucester had an overlap, the Falcons always had at least one tackler in reserve.

Burns' fourth successful penalty brought Gloucester back to within striking range, and pressure began to assume relentless proportions before the Falcons finally cracked.

As they had done on several previous occasions, Gloucester moved possession wide in an attempt to break Newcastle down, and when the visitors finally ran out of defensive numbers, Akapusi Qera touched down.

Burns narrowly failed with a touchline conversion attempt, but Gloucester were back to just 19-17 behind, and then Burns slotted another penalty as the home side went ahead for the first time with nine minutes left.

But Newcastle were not to be denied and Gopperth edged them ahead through his fifth penalty after Gloucester centre Mike Tindall was whistled for shirt-pulling off the ball.

And Wilson then put Gloucester out of their misery when he stormed clear unopposed from a lineout, with Gopperth's conversion securing victory and giving them fresh hope of avoiding the drop.

The Falcons are now just four points behind 11th-placed Wasps with two games remaining.