Newcastle Falcons boss Steve Diamond said a poor second half cost his side dear as their EPCR Challenge Cup campaign ended with a 26-7 home loss to French giants, Montpellier.

The teams were level at 7-7 during the interval before the hosts conceded three unanswered tries, their director of rugby saying: “The game summed up our European adventure this season, in that it was a pretty drab affair.

“In all of the games we’ve played reasonably well in parts, which we did again in the first half this evening. We were right in the contest at 7-7 at half-time, but yet again we weren’t able to put anybody to bed.

“We could have scored again at the end of the first half, but we didn’t, and I don’t know why we didn’t have the same zest about us during the second 40.

“We just couldn’t get the ball and keep hold of it, our line-out faltered and our discipline didn’t stay where it was in the first half. We’d only given away two penalties in the first half, but against a good side with big men we just couldn’t chop them low in the same way that we had been doing.”

Having suffered defeats against Ospreys, Dragons, Pau and now Montpellier, Diamond reflected on the campaign as a whole, saying: “We’ve rested the right amount of players because I’ve always said that the Premiership is our priority, but we’ve took another injury tonight in Ben Redshaw.

“We can’t seem to build any momentum at the moment because we’re taking a serious injury every week, which is disappointing, but the lads will get three days to recover because we’ve got a good turnaround into next Sunday’s game at Bristol.

“It’s been a really good experience for a lot of the lads despite having not won a game, though, and for me as well.

“I’m on with retaining players for next season and beyond at the moment, and it has been valuable in helping me decide on a few of the guys. Some won’t be good enough and some will, and that’s what I’m busy with at the moment.

“That’s just the way it is, and it’s a harsh world, but the four games in Europe have been useful for me in terms of aiding that decision-making process.”

Heading to Bristol Bears next weekend in Gallagher Premiership action, Diamond said: “It’ll be a different team and a different mind-set to when we went there last season, but if we don’t defend sensibly – with our brains and not just brawn – then Bristol are capable of putting on big points.

“So we need to go down there with the right attitude and plan, make it a real contest, and if we do that then we’ve got a chance.”