Falcons 29 Chiefs 24

Newcastle Falcons 29

Exeter Chiefs 24

Mark Stevens at Kingston Park

Just when it looked like the Exeter Chiefs had taken two significant steps forward in this season’s Aviva Premiership, they sadly allowed one back as Newcastle Falcons claimed a priceless victory at Kingston Park.

Not since October 27 last year when London Irish were turned over 20-13 had Dean Richards’ side experienced the sweet taste of victory.

They were, however, the ‘Toast of the Toon’ come the final whistle on this occasion as tries from Sinoti Sinoti, Tom Catterick and Noah Cato, plus 14 points from the boot of playmaker Juan-Pablo Socino, helped them to end a 20-game winless streak in English rugby’s top flight.

Until this day it was the third worse losing sequence in the Premiership, but their commitment to the cause and their never-say-die attitude proved too much for the visiting Chiefs.

Although the Chiefs countered with tries of their own through Thomas Waldrom, Ben White and Henry Slade, as well as three penalties from Gareth Steenson, this will undoubtedly go down as a costly setback.

Buoyed by back-to-back victories over Gloucester and Harlequins, the Chiefs arrived in the North East having slightly tweaked their winning formula of the past fortnight. Changes saw Don Armand come in for his first start of the season in the second-row in place of Mitch Lees; whilst behind Ian Whitten was recalled to the centre ahead of Sam Hill and Tom James was given the nod on the right wing with England star Jack Nowell forced to miss the game.

Medical opinion was not to risk the talented Cornishman on Newcastle’s new 4G surface so soon after his recovery from summer knee surgery, but even without the 21-year-old the Chiefs were able to parade a powerful line-up that didn’t take long to get into their stride.

Just five minutes had elapsed when the visitors broke the deadlock from their first meaningful attack. Early pressure saw Devon’s finest camp themselves deep behind enemy lines and from a well-crafted line-out move - taken by Damian Welch - it was Waldrom, who was propelled over the line by his fellow forwards for his fourth try of the campaign.

The Falcons countered within minutes as fly-half Socino landed a penalty after the Chiefs were penalised for tackling the man without the ball - and the Argentine ace doubled his tally on 12 minutes when he found the target following a series of charges through the middle from the home side.

However, it was the Chiefs who offered the greater attacking threat and it came as no surprise when they regained their advantage midway through the first period. James had sounded the warning with one particular raid down the left flank, before White was the beneficiary after home full-back Alex Tait had crucially spilled Ruki Tipuna’s pass on the edge of his own 22.

The normally deadly Steenson again saw his conversion attempt fail to hit the mark in the blustery conditions, before the Falcons stunned their counterparts with a try out of nothing.

With seemingly little danger on the cards, overkill from the Chiefs in trying to defend a ruck on halfway saw the Northerners expose the opening down the blindside and there was winger Sinoti Sinoti to claim the final pass and coast over for the score which went unconverted.

It was somewhat tough on Baxter’s side who, despite dominating for long periods of the half, fell even further behind when Socino slotted a third penalty from on halfway to give his side a four-point cushion heading towards the break.

This Chiefs squad, however, are made are tough stuff and with the first 40 minutes all but elapsed, they restored their grip on proceedings with a third try. Great hands from Phil Dollman, Whitten and Waldrom laid the foundations from which Tomas Francis and then Steenson worked the opening for Slade to cross in the left corner.

Initially referee Tim Wigglesworth was unsure of the grounding, but a quick check with the TMO merely confirmed the inevitable. Steenson again failed with the conversion chance, this time hitting the crossbar from wide on the left flank

HALF TIME NEWCASTLE FALCONS 14 EXETER CHIEFS 15

Now with the wind at their backs in the second period, the Chiefs quickly looked to pick up from where they had left off. The Falcons, though, had other ideas as the dangerous Sinoti Sinoti threatened early doors with a rampaging run from deep inside his own half.

Although the Chiefs repelled the big Tongan, even winning the turnover, another cheap penalty on halfway allowed the home side to reclaim possession and with it kick for the corner.

Using a tried and trusted line-out move, the Falcons pressed deep inside the Chiefs 22 and when the visitors again infringed, there was Socino to slot his side back in front with his fourth penalty of the game.

Socino was clearly bossing the ‘battle of the boot’ at that stage, but opposite number Steenson soon rediscovered his kicking radar as he nudged his side back in front with two quick fire penalties.

A third Steenson penalty just the past hour mark - this time after a huge shove from the Chiefs pack at scrum - put the Chiefs seven points to the good and seemingly in control of things as the game entered into the last quarter.

The Falcons, though, had other ideas and roused by a spirited home crowd they pushed hard for a way back into the contest. A flurry of replacements helped to inject new life into their cause with some robust running through the middle of the Exeter defensive wall.

Baxter’s boys did well initially to thwart the home advances, but in the end the pressure proved telling as the Falcons created the opening for replacement Catterick to coast over by the posts. Socino obliged with the extras to level the game up once more.

In an instance the momentum of the game had switched and it was the Falcons who were looking to kill off their prey. Again they pushed forward in numbers in search of yet more reward, but Exeter were standing firm and soaking up the pressure before countering out of defence themselves.

Handling errors from both sides were evident as the game inched into the final ten minutes, but it was the Falcons who delivered the telling blow when slick hands allowed Cato the opportunity to collect a pass wide on the left and canter over in the corner.

Now behind, it was the Chiefs who had to summon a rapid response. They had chances - including two five-metre line-outs - but they could not convert their pressure into a telling score and it was the Falcons who were left to fly high come the final whistle.

Falcons: A Tait, S Sinoti (T Catterick 51), G Tiesi, A Powell, N Cato; J-P Socino, R Tipuna (M Blair 63); K Brookes (A Rogers 63), S Lawson (R Hawkins 63), S Wilson (O Tomaszczyk 63); C Green, D Barrow (J Furno 66); M Wilson (R Mayhew 66), W Welch (capt), A Hogg. Replacement (not used): R Clegg.

Tries - Sinoti, Catterick, Cato; Conversion - Socino; Penalties - Socino (4)

Chiefs: P Dollman; T James (C Botha 71), H Slade, I Whitten (S Hill 63), M Jess; G Steenson, W Chudley (H Thomas 69); B Moon, J Yeandle (capt), T Francis (M Low 69); D Armand, D Welch; D Ewers, B White (K Horstmann 71), T Waldrom. Replacements (not used): E Taione, C Rimmer.

Tries - Waldrom, White, Slade; Penalties - Steenson (3)

Referee: T Wigglesworth

Attendance: 4,216

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v London Irish (H), Aviva Premiership, Saturday, October 11 (3pm)