Spirit, Pride, Passion & Commitment Rediscovered


By DJMC (24/11/02)
November 24 2002

Well, for those who usually travel to away matches but didn’t this time, you didn’t miss the prettiest game of rugby you are likely to see but you did miss the match in which the Falcons rediscovered their spirit, pride, passion and commitment.

Off to a good start

In the last few matches where we have conceded early points, I sat with bated breadth come the kick off. I needn't have worried. In the first five minutes the play was all by the Newcastle Falcons and all in the Saracens half. After the wayward display last week our line out appeared to be back and functioning well with us winning two on the trot in quick succession. On the five minute mark we were awarded the first penalty of the match, straight in front of the posts on the half way line. Up stepped Liam Botham and with an almighty thump the ball sailed over the cross bar; 3 – 0 to The Falcons. At about the 15 minute mark, the good news from a Falcons point of view was that Tim Horan went off injured, the bad news was that Andy Goode came on and practically his first kick of the match was an equalising penalty. Bodies on the line There then followed a passage of play in which neither team could break the others defence in the middle of the field but did end with an intense period of Saracens pressure on our line. When the ball finally crossed the try line, the ref. (quite rightly) adjudged the ball to have been held up. Quite literally, several of our players had laid their bodies on the line to deny Saracens a score. A few moments later, on another attack, a Saracens player was clean through with only one player to beat and a score looked certain. But that one player put in a tremendous tackle which stopped the move dead. Unfortunately from where I was sat, I couldn’t make out who our player was but I suspect it was either Tom May or Liam Botham and if it wasn’t either of these, my apologies to the real player. Sarries' Hooker Scores However resolute our defence had been up until then, we couldn’t resist the tide and on 30 minutes, Cairns, their hooker, scored out wide after a line out. The conversion was missed so it was 8 – 3 to Saracens. At 38 minutes, Liam took another long range pot a goal and while it had the distance, sadly it passed just the wrong side of the right hand upright. However, two minutes into injury time, Va’a scored from closer range to make it 8 – 6. Next was one of those 50/50 decisions, did their player hold on to the ball or did ours not release the player after the tackle. Unluckily for us it was the latter and with the last kick of the first half, Andy Goode slotted his second penalty from 52 metres out and close to the left hand touchline. Half time 11- 6 to Saracens. If only... Soon into the second half, I could hardly believe my eyes. We took the ball from a line out on the half way line and drove it a full forty metres towards their line and let’s not forget that the opposition pack contained experienced heavyweights such as Abdul Benazzi and Craig Quinell. If we had scored from this drive, it would have been my try of the season, the fact that we didn’t was because at ten metres out it was illegally pulled down. Falcons pile on the pressure At 51 minutes, Goode landed a drop goal to make it 14 – 6. With more than two scores needed, would this be the time that the Newcastle Falcon heads would go down? There was no doubt, the answer was no! On 55 minutes I think the poor weather conditions beat Liam causing him to miss a penalty. At 75 minutes, from a period of Newcastle pressure, there was a pile of bodies under the Saracens posts; the referee’s arm went up to signal a try; my three companions wondered if it was a penalty try but Epi came up with the ball, beaming and the announcer called it as his try. Va’a converted to make 14 -13 with 5 minutes of normal time to go. A few moments later, Goode attempted to increase the points gap but missed with his penalty attempt but did succeed at the end of normal time with his second drop goal. There then followed an intense few minutes of injury time and I’m sure there were more than an few worried Saracen fans wondering whether we would snatch that last minute try. Sadly, we all know it wasn’t to be. 110% effort After the final whistle, the Newcastle players stayed on the pitch in a huddle. I hope that they were consoling themselves that they had put in a spirited display and could take away many positives (I know this is often a cliché used by a losing team but just because it is a cliché doesn’t make less true in this case). But the look on their faces suggested that this hurt, that they wanted to make amends for the last three games and the fact that they put in 110% and didn’t succeed deeply wounded their pride, the existence of which has been questioned recently. As I said at the top of the page, its resurgence showed today and I’m sure the exclusive few who were there were pleased to witness it. The team: 1) Ward, 2) Thomson, 3)Hurter, 4) Vyvyan (Capt.), 5) Hamilton, 6) Taione, 7) Dowson, 8) Dunbar, 9) Grindal, 10) Va’a, 11) Stephenson, 12) May, 13) Noon, 14) Botham, 15) Shaw Replacements: 16) Charlton 17) Godman , 8) Issacson, 19) Devonshire, 20) Springgay, 21) Peel
So what do YOU think? Where you there? Is DJMC right have Falcons turned a corner? Post your thoughts on the Message Board...