Redpath rues penalty misses

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath Newcastle's 9-0 half-time advantage was too much to peg back in difficult conditions at Kingston Park.

First-half blunders the key to Gloucester defeat

Gloucester coach Bryan Redpath Newcastle's 9-0 half-time advantage was too much to peg back in difficult conditions at Kingston Park. The Falcons went on to win 12-6 in Sunday's Aviva Premiership game with Jimmy Gopperth booting all of Newcastle's points, Freddie Burns replying with two penalties for the visitors. However, four missed penalties in the first 40 minutes proved Gloucester's undoing. "I think three dull penalties in the first half was the difference. We didn't kick the points at that time and potentially we should have," Redpath said. "Credit to Newcastle. Micky Young kicked the ball, Jimmy Gopperth kicked the ball but there wasn't a lot of rugby in the conditions." Newcastle coach Alan Tait was delighted with the win - only the Falcons' second in the Premiership this season - and praised captain James Hudson, who returned after two months out through injury. "I thought we were spot on in the first half but it all started to go wrong when we went for off the top ball at the line-out, but fortunately we got the result today," he said. "James holds us together, he was outstanding at the line-outs. We are proud of the team, it was a great effort and will take us forward."