Newcastle Falcons’ Premiership Cup campaign came to a dramatic end at the semi-final stage on Friday as Bath Rugby battled back for a nailbiting victory at Kingston Park.

The home side started with gusto and almost had a try inside four minutes when Alex Hearle’s break down the right instigated a sequence of pick-and-go which ended with the ball being knocked on in the act of trying to score.

But the Kingston Park faithful were on their feet just two minutes later when Brett Connon’s cross-field kick was plucked out of the air by Hearle, who raced the remaining ten metres to dot down in the right corner.

Connon’s long-range penalty attempt on 14 minutes was fired just a fraction wide of the North Stand posts, but the Cumbrian made amends from close in to put the Falcons eight points up as attacking pressure in the Bath 22 forced the visitors to stray offside.

Bath responded rightaway when quick hands along the line enabled flanker Ethan Staddon to score in the right corner midway through the opening half, with Ciaran Donoghue’s conversion reducing the Falcons’ lead to a single point.

The home side kicked a penalty to the right corner without return in the search for a buffer, and they trailed just before the half-hour when Alfie Barbeary played advantage to good effect by powering over for an unconverted try in the left corner.

They extended their lead on 34 minutes when Austin Emens was quickest to the loose ball following a grubber to the in-goal – Donoghue’s conversion putting them 11 points to the good.

Newcastle had the last say of the half when Murray McCallum powered over for a converted try, the big Scot hitting a hard line at pace from two metres out after runs from Sammy Arnold, Philip van der Walt and Jamie Blamire had got his side to within striking distance.

Connon’s conversion cut Bath’s half-time lead to 19-15, and the home side led just three minutes after the resumption when Ben Stevenson collected an inside pass to race down the left following a crafty kick in behind from Connon.

Connon added the conversion to put the Falcons up by three, and the momentum continued when Stevenson sped in for a stunner on 51 minutes – hoisting an up-and-under from inside his own half, catching it at full tilt and haring past every defender for the converted score.

Bath responded just before the hour mark when Emens accepted an offload five metres out for his second converted try of the night, and when the TMO awarded Francois van Wyk a try from a pick-and-go in the right corner, the West Country side had one foot in the final.

Any doubt was removed when Staddon sped in for his second try six minutes from time, with the Falcons’ Cup journey coming to a close.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon (Kieran Wilkinson, 68), 9 Sam Stuart (James Elliott, 66); 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire (Ollie Fletcher, 73), 3 Murray McCallum (Richard Palframan, 50), 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Kiran McDonald (Sebastian de Chaves, 68), 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Cameron Neild (Ollie Leatherbarrow, 70), 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Scorers – Tries: Alex Hearle, Murray McCallum, Ben Stevenson 2. Conversions: Brett Connon 3. Penalties: Brett Connon.

Bath Rugby: 15 Austin Emens (Louie Hennessey, 66), 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Max Ojomoh, 12 Will Butt, 11 Ruaridh McConnochie, 10 Ciaran Donoghue, 9 Tom Carr-Smith; 1 Arthur Cordwell (Francois van Wyk, 45), 2 Tom Dunn, 3 Kieran Verden, 4 Ewan Richards (captain), 5 Ross Molony (Harvey Cuckson, 42), 6 Arthur Green, 7 Ethan Staddon, 8 Alfie Barbeary (Jaco Coetzee, 36).

Scorers – Tries: Ethan Staddon 2, Alfie Barbeary, Austin Emens 2, Francois van Wyk. Conversions: Ciaran Donoghue 4. Penalties: Ciaran Donoghue.

Referee: George Selwood. Attendance: 4,502.