Falcons sink Bath

BATH’S season is going from bad to worse after the Guinness Premiership defeat at home to Newcastle, which was their sixth loss in eight matches in all competitions.

As so often, they led at the break but failed to press home the advantage against a confident and inventive Falcons side.

Kiwi fly-half Jimmy Gopperth tormented the home defence with his kicking out of hand, setting up the clinching try for full-back Charlie Amesbury with a clever dink off the outside of this foot.

Half-back partner Micky Young was just as much of a handful, scoring the try of the game on the hour with an 80-metre interception.

Steve Bates was cock-ahoop with his side’s first win in the Premiership.

‘‘We’ve got an eight-hour coach journey home but it will be a little bit sweeter,’’ he said. ‘‘The Premiership is a really tough environment to build a team. The boys should take a great amount of credit for the way they have worked.”

England scrummaging coach Graham Rowntree was in the stand to cast an eye over contenders among the Bath props for the clash with Australia – not only David Flatman and Duncan Bell but also David Barnes, taking his turn on the bench.

Repeated knock-ons robbed the first quarter of any shape or fluency.

The deadlock was broken in the 24th minute after Nick Abendanon countered from Gopperth’s kick, supported by Julian Salvi, Claassens and Jonny Faamatuainu.

Flatman set up the ruck, and Newcastle gave away a penalty converted by Nicky Little.

The ball was then turned over at a ruck on the visitors’ 22, and Pieter Dixon fired out a long pass to Australian centre Matt Carraro, who squeezed in at the corner.

Just before the break, Little failed to hold Amesbury in a tackle, and the full-back wriggled away to score.

Gopperth converted from the touchline to make the score 8-7 at the break.

The game suddenly came to life after the restart, Abendanon’s stunning counter-attack creating a try for captain Claassens after good support by Salvi and Carraro. But within three minutes Newcastle had cancelled it out with an unconverted try by lock James Hudson.

The home team then imploded, conceding 15 points in ten minutes. Young’s interception try was converted by Gopperth, and although Bath responded with a drop goal by Ryan Davis, Gopperth kicked a penalty then slid a delightful grubber kick through for Amesbury to score.