NEWCASTLE Falcons scrambled to the top of the Zurich Premiership yesterday, but Director of Rugby Rob Andrew was not happy about the way they had to do it.

After two away wins Newcastle clearly hoped to put on a show in front of 8,706 fans at Kingston Park, but they had to abandon their early adventure to overturn a nine-point deficit and hang on grimly at the death.

Andrew said: "It was a dreadful game. The officiating and the cynicism of Quins' approach spoilt it as a spectacle.

"If we keep producing that sort of spectacle in professional rugby we will struggle to fill grounds. We knew what they would do and they did it very professionally. They just tried to slow the whole game down and they did a good job of it. If that's the way they want to play then good luck to them.

"The game was brought down to a level which the officials never got to grips with, but we won a game which we would have lost last season, so that's a good omen."

Against a side seeking their first win, the Falcons could have lost to either of the last two kicks, but Jeremy Staunton was narrowly wide with a 45-metre penalty then missed with a drop goal.

Confusion reigned before the drop goal attempt because it stemmed from a scrum awarded by referee Sean Davey when Jonny Wilkinson sent his 22-metre drop-out out on the full, having apparently established that if he did so the game would be over.

Falcons' poor defence allowed Quins to score two long-range tries, while Newcastle's only five-pointer was a penalty try resulting from the visitors' persistent infringement under pressure.

Although Matt Burke was twice prominent in the Falcons' early attacks on his full debut, along with the whole back row, they ended up falling back on Colin Charvis' experience in defence as they hung on.

Newcastle played some outstanding rugby in the first eight minutes but had nothing to show for it as Wilkinson showed he is human.

In his first home game of 2004 he missed two penalties from left of the posts, hooking the second one badly on the tricky crosswind from just inside the 22, then knocked on when the Falcons attacked again on the restart.

This allowed Quins to make their first visit to the home 22 after nine minutes, but fly half Staunton fluffed a drop goal and Newcastle roared back through a searing break by Jamie Noon, only to lose his fellow centre Mark Mayerhofler with a leg injury.

David Walder went on at fly half with Wilkinson moving out to inside centre, but the Falcons couldn't regain their early fluency. Although Wilkinson kicked a penalty from right of the posts on the 22, they suddenly conceded ten points midway through the half.

Quins twice made good ground up the touchline by knocking line-out ball back down to hooker Ace Tiatia and his first burst set up the position for Staunton to kick an easy penalty.

A minute later the home defence was in shreds when full back Gavin Duffy gathered a loose ball just inside his own half, stepped inside a tackle and raced into the 22 before sending George Harder under the posts.

Newcastle came back with electrifying bursts from wingers Tom May and Michael Stephenson, but had to be satisfied with two long-range penalty successes by Wilkinson either side of a simple success for Staunton.

The wisdom of having Walder at fly half was thrown into further doubt a minute after half-time when Staunton easily went past him after selling a dummy on halfway and made 20 metres before giving Duffy a clear run to the line on the left.

At 18-9 down Newcastle applied relentless pressure, and while their catch-and-drives were twice repelled, Quins' continual infringement saw Simon Miall become their second forward sent to the sin-bin and Wilkinson slotted the resultant penalty.

Six minutes later a similar scenario, with Newcastle's drive being illegally halted inches short of the line, resulted in a penalty try, Wilkinson's conversion putting them a point ahead. His fifth penalty stretched the lead, but then flanker Mike McCarthy was sin-binned with five minutes of normal time left.

It left the Falcons on the back foot and Staunton kicked a penalty in the 79th minute to set up the tense finish.

Harder burst though more weak tackling as Newcastle again put themselves under unnecessary pressure and it was a huge relief when Staunton's two kicks went wide.