Not good enough

The Falcons threw away the chance to ensure we would not be bottom when we go to Headingley last night with 20 minutes of horror throwing away the solid hard work of the first hour. I hope Thompson and Kurdi have already demanded an explanation for that from Alan Tait, or have at the very least said “My office, 9am Monday morning”.

One of the key questions should be why on this planet Jimmy Gopperth was taken off. He was having a decent game and if he had been injured or there had been a concern about his kicking, why did the management insist he stay on to convert James Hudson's try before replacing him with a guy who almost broke his arm last week?

The first half was absorbing if unspectacular, with Gopperth and Gareth Steenson kicking two penalties each. Steenson missed one, and Gopperth missed two, although both from long distance. The final one was a hit and hope from a few metres inside our half with the clock on zero. Luke Fielden broke in our half to give Alex Tait perhaps our best chance of the first 40, however after beating a few defenders Chip was tapped and couldn't stay on his feet, knocking on in the process.

Our defence held out against a the Chiefs' charges, and we dealt with their rolling maul fairly comfortably. Our scrum and lineout were solid and with the scores level at 6-6 at the break there was hope.

Would we have taken a draw at that point? I thought I might have.

Gopperth had a chance to put us into the lead early in the second half but his penalty missed, and Steenson was on target with his next kick. On the hour the Falcons put together a good spell of possession in the Chiefs' 22, roared on by a desperate South Stand, and after numerous charges for the line Hudson bashed over on the right and was able to spin around and put the ball down for a try celebrated like few others at KP!

What happened then was strange. Jeremy Manning was stripped, and Gopperth looked like he was going off, but seemed to be told to take the conversion, and he did successfully. With a four-point lead and the upper hand, the first thought in my mind at least was “Don't do anything stupid!”

I should have known better. Before most of us at the other end of the ground knew what had happened, somehow Exeter had scored! It appears that a clearance was charged down and Matt Jess was able to score. It's not often I punch the back of the stand in anger but this was such an occasion.

Fortunately the conversion missed, but Tim Swinson (I think) fumbled a kick into touch on our 22 and Exeter soon won another penalty, which was kicked successfully. From four points ahead we were now four behind.

Manning had the chance to get us within one point with a penalty but his kick dropped short, and Exeter charged forward, winning another penalty and increasing the deficit to seven points.

Less than ten minutes to go, we just had to score a try and turn a bonus point into a draw. Better than nothing. With the clock down to zero though, Exeter won a penalty in front of our posts. It took me a second or two to realise with horror that they weren't going to kick for touch, but for goal. Bonus point gone.

My overriding feeling is that last night we wasted a massive opportunity to put some daylight between us and Leeds. It may be unlikely that they will win at Saracens tomorrow, but the fact that they can get off bottom will probably give them an extra spring, and our positions in the table are reversed before Headingley, then they will have a massive boost to their morale.

Time is running out, we simply HAVE to start winning and make sure we do not blow another position like we had after an hour last night. We will not be down if we lose to Leeds, but defeat would make it extraordinarily difficult to get above them again. They will not be pushovers on Sunday, or at KP for that matter, but we don't have any choice now. Next Sunday is now or perhaps never.