Success in Stockport

When I got up for work at 2.30am on Friday if anybody had told me that the day would end in a Chinese karaoke bar I'd have been a bit confused. I was listening to late night radio at the time, which wouldn't have helped. Much less surprising, on paper at least, was that our Falcons won the Stockport leg of the Premiership Sevens.

We looked to have the strongest squad, with the likes of Will Welch, Luke Fielden, Alex Tait and Chris Pilgrim in the squad alongside new signings Ryan Shortland, Richard Mayhew and Will Chudley, and sevens specialist Aaron Myers.

Sale named a few first-teamers, while I for one didn't recognise many Worcester names, and Leicester's side looked like most of them had walked straight out of high school.

Following a lengthy photo op for the Geordie fans in the Edgeley Park car park, it was time to get our season underway against Sale in the evening's first game.

The Sharks scored first following a bizarre penalty for alleged holding on, despite our player being free to wriggle on, as so many do, and Will Addison scored a converted try down the right.

Early in the second half the Falcons finally managed to get on the scoresheet, Tait and Myers setting up Joel Hodgson. Shortland then fought over following a long floated pass to the right for his first try in a Newcastle shirt.

The conversion again missed, and we were 10-7 ahead when Sale broke in the last minute. Hodgson saved a certain try by tackling an opponent into touch on the 22 and a further unconverted score by Luke Fielden made the game safe.

Worcester came from behind to defeat Leicester 19-12 next before the Tigers were well and truly trounced by Sale 47-0.

The Falcons had a chance to secure qualifications for the finals against Worcester, and early intense pressure that saw Redford Pennycook held up eventually broke the Warriors down, and Hodgson cut across goal for a try he converted himself.

A long pass out to Fielden on the far right put the winger in and we led 12-0 at half-time.

Myers set up Mark Wilson for a third try that Hodgson converted, and though the referee did call for TV assistance he didn't seem to need it and after conferring with a touch judge sent a Worcester player to the sin-bin.

This seemed to fire up the Warriors and two quick tries by Sam Miller gave the final score a tighter look at 19-10, but we had booked a place at The Stoop and that was what mattered.

The evening's trophy (well, plate) would be clinched with a win over Leicester, who took the lead with a converted try by Tahir El Mahdi, after Wilson hacked towards the line and was clearly pulled back but received no penalty.

Falcons captain Mayhew reduced the deficit to two points following a clear run down the right. Going into half-time Pilgrim made up for his strange orange shorts with two quick scores, Hodgson adding two points to the first.

The Falcons went into the break 17-7 up and Tait and Myers extended the lead by a further 12 points before Chudley weaved his way under the posts to provide an easy conversion.

Luke Eves was hauled down in front of the line on the far left in the dying seconds but passed to Wilson, who sealed our 41-7 win and a first trophy of the season!

Sale took second place on the night by seeing off Worcester 45-12.

So once again we've made it out of Stockport alive. Maybe if you live there it isn't actually as bad as some of the streets make it look (unless you live next door to the couple I saw drinking beer in their front garden perhaps).

I should be more positive about going there, since it's an opportunity to visit my university mates and, in this case, drink (and sing) in a karaoke bar where at midnight the only people in were us, a DJ, a barman and another woman behind the bar.

Oh, and a three-year-old boy and a dog too. More punters arrived later but many seemed most interested in shifting substances of dubious legality.

Edgeley Park is also one of the few Premiership ground we don't have a horrific record at!

The Stoop this Friday, that sorts out what I should do on my birthday. Hopefully the Falcons can make it a very happy one by winning the whole competition.