A performance dripping with spirit and commitment, pushed Leicester Tigers all the way in a thrilling Aviva Premiership contest, at Kingston Park, on Saturday afternoon.

Under the watchful eye of the Sky Sports cameras, the Falcons went within a Jimmy Gopperth drop-goal from securing a precious victory.

As Gopperth set himself for the drop goal with only seconds left on the clock, a sea of Tigers bodies engulfed the Falcons No.10, forcing him to give the ball air on the blind side.

From the breakdown, the visitors were awarded a controversial penalty to the disgust and agony of all in black.

Leicester hoofed the ball in to touch to give Richard Cockerill his first win of the season, but every Falcons player walking through the tunnel after the game could be justly proud of their efforts, safe in the knowledge that nothing was left out on the field.    

Battered and bruised, the Falcons will now have to dust themselves down and prepare for next week’s trip to London Irish. And with head coach Alan Tait confident that Samoan centre Jamie Helleur will make his return at the Madejski Stadium, the Kingston Park outfit have every chance of going one step further against The Exiles next weekend.

Newcastle started the game brightly, and looked decisive on the break with Greg Goosen’s superb break the catalyst for an early Falcons penalty. Gopperth duly obliged with the three points after just two minutes, to edge the hosts in front.

Four minutes later Leicester were level through a Billy Twelvetrees penalty, despite a knock-on missed by the officials in the build up to the infringement.

Not deterred by a quick Tigers response, Tait’s men continued to press their opponents’ rearguard, and were rewarded for their endeavour with the award of a penalty.

A sweeping passing move unleashed the electric pace of Luke Fielden, who went inches of the try line, before referee J.P. Doyle penalised the visitors.

Gopperth made no mistake with the penalty in front of the South Stand, to give his side a deserved 6-3 lead. However, Ed Slater crossed in the corner for last year’s Premiership runners-up shortly after, to the joy of the travelling contingent.

8-6 down, the Tyneside unit rallied and on 24 minutes they were back in front courtesy of a touchdown from the impressive Goosen. Gopperth missed the conversion and the Falcons held a slender 11-8 advantage. The South African joined the line at speed to make full use of the overlap to score in the corner.

Leicester fly-half Twelvetrees was having a few jittery moments in front of the posts, skewing a series of penalties wide of the uprights. 10 minutes from the break, Twelvetrees banished those nerves to level the score at 11 a piece at half-time.

In the opening stages of the second stanza, former Falcons prop Kieran Brookes graced the Kingston Park turf as a replacement. But his presence was short lived following a robust tackle from the ever physical Tim Swinson. Brookes was helped off the field of play injured just minutes before James Hudson barged his way over the line, to send the Falcons faithful into raptures.

Gopperth added the extras to surge into a 18-11 lead. In typical fashion, Leicester peppered the North-East defensive line immediately. Despite courageous attempts to repel Cockerill’s men, Julian Salvi picked up the ball from the ruck to waltz in under the posts to score.

Twelvetrees demonstrated some of his first-half nerves in front of goal to cannon his penalty against the woodwork. Newcastle were still in control with an 18-16 lead.

On 57 minutes Twelvetrees showed good character to despatch a penalty goal-wards to make it 19-18 in favour of the Tigers.

But Newcastle bounced back and regained the lead with Gopperth’s third penalty success of the game, to edge 21-19 ahead. Leicester came back strong and a further Twelvetrees three point score sent the Tigers 22-21 in front.

Tait’s troops were playing some exquisite rugby, some of the rugby that the Scotsman has been pushing for on Tyneside. In dramatic circumstances the Falcons took the lead thanks to the heroic efforts of wing ace Luke Fielden.

The former Bedford man chased through a Gopperth chip to get the merest of fingertips on the ball, to claim his first try of the campaign. J.P. Doyle referred the decision to the video referee, who adjudged Fielden to have hadsufficient downward pressure. Gopperth missed the conversion from the touchline but his side led 26-22 going into the closing stages of the game.

Cockerill’s men came back at the Falcons with a barrage of pressure, but Tait’s side stood firm to their credit. A Leicester scrum five metres from the Falcons line gave replacement Micky Young the chance to provide ammunition for an imminent attack.

And in a cruel manner Steve Mafi took advantage of an overlap to dive over in at the South Stand corner. Twelvetrees missed with the conversion but this paled into insignificance as the Tigers edged this entertaining spectacle 27-26.

Following the match, Falcons boss Tait could not fault his side’s effort, saying: “It’s a tough one to take and we scored three good tries. The boys were fantastic and they are absolutely drained in there.

“That’s all we ask of them. We will get the review done on Monday morning and march on against London Irish next week.”

Newcastle: Goosen; Fielden, Eves, Fitzpatrick, Tait; Gopperth, Pilgrim; Shiells, Vickers, Wells; Hudson (capt), Swinson; Wilson, Welch, Mayhew.

Replacements: Graham, Fearn, Hall, Townson, Hogg, Pasqualin, Sheriffe, Catterick.

Leicester: Hamilton; Forsyth, Twelvetrees, Allen, Morris; Ford, Grindal; Stankovich, Chuter (capt), White; Slater, Skivington; Mafi, Salvi, Waldrom.

Replacements: Youngs, Holford, Brookes, Kitchener, Woods, Young, Staunton, Robinson.

Newcastle Falcons' next home match is against London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership. Tickets are still available by calling 0871 226 6060 or please click here.

BY STEWART McCULLOUGH