Falcons 31 Sale 20

By Ridley
October 27 2002

A quality show from Jonny Wilkinson saw Falcons master the tricky conditions and a game Sharks. This was a great toss to win and with the wind at our backs Wilkinson played an old fashioned kicking game ... and we took advantage with three first half tries.

The plan to start with Phil Godman, alongside Jonny, was put on ice because of the conditions but the youngster did come on second half and proved more than capable as we frustrated Sharks. Instead, Matt Wilkinson started the game with Noon and May in the centres.

Jonny opened the scoring with a penalty but Sale equalised after Vyvyan played the ball on the floor.

Straight from the kick off Pete Anglesea sent Graeme Bond away, he fed Steve Hanley who galloped half the length of the pitch to score. Both Stephenson and Mark Wilkinson should have stopped him.

We came back five minutes later when Jonny slotted a penalty into the corner and Jon Dunbar was driven over for the try from the line-out. Despite the wind Jonny converted.

That was Plan A. Plan B worked equally as well when we got another penalty and went for the line out, but this time we sped the ball out and Jamie Noon strolled through a gap.

Back to Plan A ten minutes later and this time it was Ian Peel who was driven over for the try. It may have been predictable but it was effective!

Jonny's last shot at harnessing the wind was a penalty from miles inside our half and he only just fell short!

The big question at half time was "is 24-10 a big enough lead?"

It was. Walshe pulled back three points for Sharks with a penalty, but we were comfortable in defence, and then went on to actually gain a try scoring bonus point to seal the game.

Once again it began with a Wilko penalty to touch. Three times Sale were penalised for pulling down and eventually someone had to go to the sin-bin. Phil Davies got the card and from the scrum Hall Charlton nipped in and Jonny converted.

By now the wind was dropping and it was distinctly cooler by the minute, but five points is distinctly heartwarming. It would be nice to do it more often.

Falcons: . m wilkinson [Godman 40],Botham, Noon, May, Stephenson, J Wilkinson [capt], Charlton, Peel {Isaacson 40], [Hurter 50], Brotherstone [M Thompson 55], Hurter, Grimes, Hamilton, Dunbar [Otuvaka 75], Arnold [Dowson 60],Vyvyan .

Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Deane, Bond, Hanley, walshe, Redpath, Thorp [yates 55], Titterell [Marais 60], Stewart [Turner 55], Schofield, Day, Davies, Pinkerton, Anglesea.