Sharks 25

Falcons 32

The Falcons swooped at Edgeley Park on Sunday and flew off with a fifth successive victory in a run which has seen them change from relegation possibles to European hopefuls.

Sharks will only know how catastrophic the home defeat was when the remaining six games are completed. They have a difficult programme – double fixtures against Northampton Saints and Harlequins, plus games against Leicester Tigers and Bath, themselves in the race for the top.

After Sunday’s second-half slide, it looks like injuries and international calls are going to have a major impact on the rest of the club’s season.

Lost in the agony of a late defeat was the considerable achievement of fly half Charlie Hodgson, whose twenty points with the boot took him to the top of the all-time Premiership points scorers’ list. The Yorkshireman started his work after just three minutes, converting the opening try by Neil Briggs, and added six penalties to his account in a 100% performance. With 16 minutes played and Sharks 16-3 ahead, things were looking rosy for Kingsley Jones’s team, but they couldn’t capitalise on their sound start.

Falcons, dominant in the scrum and inspired by man-of-the-match Carl Hayman, kept on displaying the great teamwork that has taken them past the safety mark and slowly chipped away at their hosts. Whilst Hodgson was keeping his side in contention, the Falcons were scoring the tries, through Golding, Williams, and Fenby.

May had a mixed day, but still kicked two important penalties and three conversions.

The score was 25-all with a quarter of an hour to go. Falcons had been a man short, after a yellow card for Swinson, but they hadn’t conceded any tries during his absence. Sharks’ moment of desolation duly arrived with two minutes left. Falcons won a scrum against the head, and flanker Brent Wilson dived over at close range. A losing bonus point, for the second Sunday running, was scant consolation for the Sharks.

Kingsley Jones commented: “It’s a disappointing result and we have a few injuries in what is a crucial period for us – it is not a good day at all. We started well, but our second half performance was poor. I give credit to Newcastle for the way they played.”

Sharks travel to Franklins Gardens on Saturday to face Jim Mallinder’s Northampton Saints, who had an unbeaten home record until their last fixture against Newcastle.

Attention will inevitably be centred on Ben Foden, if released by England, and the brothers Fernandez Lobbe in opposition. The beleaguered Sharks are short of key personnel at prop and scrum half, but know that they need to scrape any sort of win to remain in the chase for a top four spot.

The key could be twofold: how well the Sharks’ medical staff have worked to rehabilitate last Sunday’s injured players, and the onfield fly half duel between the experienced Charlie Hodgson and the Saints’ rookie Stephen Myler.