NEWCASTLE Falcons could face a selection dilemma for tomorrow's home match against Bristol.

With first choice centres Tom May and Jamie Noon already injured, Liam Botham had to retire with a shoulder problem in the first half of Saturday's 28-13 defeat at Gloucester.

Coming so soon after the release of John Leslie, Newcastle could be stretched in the centre department as they attempt to halt a slide which has taken them to eighth in the table.

A fireworks display at Kingsholm did the trick for Gloucester, inspiring them to an explosive start.

In the first five minutes they went 10-0 ahead and never looked back as they proceeded to record the double over the Falcons.

As so often this season they faded in the second half and were actually outscored in that period.

But their first-half fire crackers had done all the damage and they were able to end a bleak run of defeats with an encouraging win.

Even without the rested Ian Jones, Gloucester did well in the line-out and indeed in all the set-pieces, providing a solid foundation for some brisk and penetrating attacks.

Winger Tom Beim looked dangerous all afternoon but never more so than in the second minute when he sped over for a try which Simon Mannix converted.

A long-range penalty by Mannix was followed by a second try for Gloucester as Australian centre Jason Little went over.

Gloucester won a scrum, Mannix whistled the ball out to the Australian and he somehow got over despite being tackled on both sides.

Mannix again added the conversion and it was effectively all over for Newcastle.

England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson had three penalty chances in the half but landed only one and the Falcons found themselves 20-3 behind at the interval.

Wilkinson succeeded with a second penalty early in the second half before a free-for-all saw Gloucester skipper Kingsley Jones and Falcons' prop Marius Hurter sin-binned.

A try by lock Simon Cornwell clinched Gloucester's win in the 68th minute even though Mannix failed with the conversion.

In injury time, Wilkinson redeemed his earlier failures and he went through for a consolation try which he also converted.

The win left most of Gloucester's fans happy but not coach Phillipe Saint-Andre.

''It was a win but not a good one,'' he said. ''It would have been good if we had got four tries and a bonus point.

''With the sort of quality we showed we should have got that extra point.''

Saint-Andre said he thought Leicester would come out on top at the end of the season but there would be very little between the next six and that was why he felt bonus points were so vital.

The last word from Saint-Andre was: ''We needed more passion in defence, especially in the last quarter when we lost control.

Newcastle coach Rob Andrew said: ''Gloucester were tremendous. It was the best I have ever seen them play.

''The way they came at us at the start was as good as any team we have faced this season.

''I thought we did well, after being 10-0 down inside ten minutes in the bear-pit of Kingsholm.

''We played far better than against Bristol and I am very proud of the effort and determination of the side.''

''It was a very good game and we could well have been on a 60-point deficit if we had not played so well ourselves.''

l Wasps director of rugby Nigel Melville played down the incident which saw Paul Sampson sin-binned for punching seconds after scoring the try that kept his side in the Premiership title race.

Sampson was punished by referee Steve Lander for punching opposing wing Dan Luger as Wasps went on to beat Saracens 25-6