Gary Gold got off to the perfect start as the Falcons’ new director of rugby with a comprehensive home victory over Sale Sharks in the LV= Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Former South Africa assistant coach, Gold, who kept a watching brief during last week’s Amlin Challenge Cup trip to Lyon will have been delighted with his side’s display in his first game in charge.

The Falcons swept aside their Greater Manchester counterparts with a performance brimming with confidence and finesse to the delight of the Kingston Park crowd.

Cheered on by a crowd of more than 4,000, the northeasterners ran in four tries coupled with a string of penalties and conversions by Jimmy Gopperth to secure a bonus-point triumph.

After Gopperth had given the hosts an early 3-0 lead with the boot, Sale hit-back immediately with a try scored by Nick Macleod.  

Macleod pounced on Rob Miller’s dab into the in-goal area to cross the whitewash in the corner. Centre, Macleod converted his score to give Sale a 7-3 advantage.

Gopperth reduced the arrears to just one point thanks to a penalty from in front of the posts before man-of-the-match Mark Wilson crashed over for a try.

Gopperth’s decision to turn down a kick at goal in favour of going for touch on 32 minutes paid dividends as Wilson was driven over the line from the lineout. The Newcastle No.10 made no mistake with the extras to put his side 13-7 in front going into the break.

10 minutes into the second period, the Sharks were reduced to 14 men when Johnny Leota was sent to the bin for a dangerous tackle on Ryan Shortland.

During Leota’s stint in the bin Newcastle extended their advantage with a solitary Gopperth penalty and when the New Zealander returned to the field the Falcons ran riot with a series of touchdowns.

First Rob Vickers burrowed his way other the line on 63 minutes following some patient build-up play in the forward pack. Gopperth smashed home the conversion to make it 23-7.

James Fitzpatrick went close to a five-point score with an interception but despite sprinting 30-metres, the Shieldsman was hauled down just short of the line.

With the Falcons pack well and truly in the groove Tim Swinson added his name to the score-sheet for his fifth try of the season.

The Falcons’ top try-scorer this campaign bulldozed his way through the Sharks rearguard from close-range.

At this point the rain was teeming down at Kingston Park but the majority of the crowd on the terraces cared not a jot as they saw their side rubber-stamp their superiority with Gopperth getting in on the act with a late try.

Richard Mayhew raced clear and his neat offload found the impressive Wilson who in turn fed Gopperth for a try in the corner.

Gopperth put the icing on the cake with an audacious touchline conversion to earn the Falcons a morale-boosting 37-7 bonus-point win.

Newcastle round off their LV= Cup exploits with a trip to Leicester next week before the serious business of the Aviva Premiership takes centre stage.

Gold’s unit begin their Premiership survival bid at Bath on Saturday 11 February with their sights firmly set on victory.

Following their date in the West Country the Tyneside outfit entertain Gold’s former club London Irish on Saturday 18 February (kick-off 3pm).

Tickets are available for the Irish game by calling the Falcons Ticket Hotline on 0871 226 6060 or click here to purchase online.

The fight-back is on!