NEWCASTLE head coach Alan Tait says he is already preparing for another tough relegation battle next season after the Falcons survived by the skin of their teeth in the final round of Aviva Premiership matches.

It was not until several minutes after the whistle blew on their 42-12 defeat at Bath that Tait and his squad learned that northern rivals Leeds had been relegated instead on points difference.

“They were five minutes behind us so we just decided as a group to wait out there on the pitch for the results,” Tait said.

“We got the word from the team manager – or rather his missus, who was having kittens at the other end of the phone.”

Tait, who revealed that flyhalf Jimmy Gopperth had played with a torn knee cartilage, does not believe it will be much easier next year, adding: “I think we will go through it again next season.

If I say my goal is to survive in the Premiership they’ll say I’m negative.

“But I know where these players are and we need a couple of years to get them there.

The best way is to get a couple of quality players to play alongside them.”

He added: “We know we’re up against it every single week. I have to ask them every week to lift themselves against gigantic teams like Northampton and Leicester, even Bath.

“I just saw tired bodies out there in the first half. Last week it was nerves. This week it was fatigue. I can’t fault them for effort but we were put to the sword by a Bath team who themselves have a few injuries.

“I feel for Leeds, I do. We need to look at the relegation issue. What’s it all for? It was exciting but what does it achieve?”

Newcastle made a purposeful start until lock Andrew van der Heijden knocked on to hand Bath the initiative.

They needed no second invitation as Nick Abendanon burst through dangerously and former Bath player James Hudson killed the ruck, presenting Butch James with a 40-metre penalty which opened the scoring.

If Bath were in difficulties it was at the scrummage where third choice tighthead Mark Lilley was suffering with a neck problem and eventually had to be replaced by another Academy prop, Kane Palma-Newport.

By this time Sam Vesty had scored Bath’s first try on 11 minutes, crossing unopposed after the visitors’ defence had been stretched beyond breaking point.

At least three more chances went begging as a result of interceptions or forward passes before another veteran second row Ignacio Fernandez- Lobbe crashed over after more good work by Vesty.

James missed the conversion but had no trouble finding the target when Tom Biggs sliced through on the right on the half hour and Matt Carraro strolled over from the ruck to stretch Bath’s lead to 22-0.

The four try bonus point came seconds before the break as Newcastle again ran out of defenders close to the breakdown and Michael Claassens sent Matt Banahan through to score. James’ conversion meant Bath went in with a 29-0 lead.

Alex Tait raised Falcons’ spirits with an opportunist score immediately after halftime but Jimmy Gopperth missed the straightforward conversion while James added another penalty to put Bath 32-5 ahead.

The visitors scored a try through right wing Luke Fielden, courtesy of an inchperfect cross kick by Jeremy Manning.

Manning, who had moved to fly-half when Gopperth was taken off, added the conversion.

James added another penalty on 66 minutes rather than kick for touch but, with a rash of replacements, the game was meandering to a close.

On 76 minutes, however, replacement wing Jacques Boussuge sped away down the left and touched down under the posts, Vesty adding the conversion.