Newcastle (12) 33
Tries: Gray, Fielden, Young Cons: Gopperth 3 Pens: Gopperth 4
Harlequins (10) 18
Tries: Williams, Brown Cons: Clegg Pens: Clegg 2

Falcons scrum-half Young darted through to put the result beyond doubt

Newcastle eased fears of Premiership relegation with three second-half tries for a valuable victory over Harlequins.

Quins raced ahead early as Tom Williams crossed on three minutes, after 15 phases, before Rory Clegg converted.

Clegg added a penalty for Quins but four kicks by Jimmy Gopperth ensured Falcons went in ahead at the break.

Alex Gray and Luke Fielden scored in rapid succession but hopes of a Quins revival when Mike Brown went over were dashed by Micky Young's late try.

In what was an ill-tempered first half the initial flare-up followed Williams's try which rounded off a series of forward drives.

After Clegg added the conversion Newcastle delivered a powerful scrum and Gopperth pulled three points back.

The Quins number 10 missed a shot at goal and then his side were at fault shortly after when a scrum collapsed.

In the aftermath the forwards fell out again so Falcons' prop Jon Golding and Harlequins' tighthead James Johnston were sin-binned.

Harlequins' Ceri Jones was then adjudged to have obstructed Micky Young's pass while trying to get back onside at a ruck and went the same way with 23 minutes gone.

Gopperth made it 7-6 to Quins with the resulting penalty.

The visitors restored a four-point lead as Falcons were caught offside under pressure and Clegg was on target with his kick.

Falcons hit back almost immediately when Gopperth landed a 35-metre penalty after Quins were penalised for entering a ruck from the side.

Play was suspended while Falcons' full-back Jeremy Manning received treatment before being taken from the field on a stretcher.

With 90 seconds of the half remaining Quins collapsed a scrum close to the half-way line and with the kick infront of the posts Gopperth sailed the ball home to give his side a 12-10 lead at the break.

In the second half Falcons began to create quick ball and, after Clegg's boot eased his side ahead once more, it was a fine break by Tane Tu'ipulotu that set up substitute Gray, who had been on the field for little more than minute, for his converted try.

Four minutes later and more dynamic running, this time by Young, created the opening that lead to Fielden going over in the corner.

Gopperth landed his best kick of the evening from the touchline to hand Falcons a 13-point cushion.

And when Young bustled his way over from short range with just three minutes remaining he was swamped by his team-mates before Gopperth added another two points to cap another faultless display of place-kicking.

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait:
"I'm more than satisfied and the only criticism I have is that our impact players could have done better when they came off the bench, but I'm really delighted.

"We were a bit nervy at the start, but the players have put in a lot of hard work this week and they dug deep and got the result they deserved.

"[Assistant coach] Paul [Moriarty]is getting this pack to do what he wants now and it is looking really strong and powerful.

"Are we safe? It depends on what Leeds do, but we're now hunting down Sale."

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea:
"Newcastle did a number on us.

"Our set-piece didn't function and we never got any momentum going against a good Newcastle side who are very tough to play here.

"Top four was the target in the Premiership and that now looks beyond us unless there are some mathematical acrobatics and we are now looking at top six."

Newcastle: Manning; Fielden, Eves, Fitzpatrick, A. Tait; Gopperth, Young; Golding, Thompson, Murray; Hudson, van der Heijden; Swinson, B. Wilson, Hogg.

Replacements: Tu'ipulotu for Manning (34), Catterick for Fielden (68), Shiels for Golding (66), Brookes for Murray (68), M. Wilson for van der Heijden (72), Gray for B. Wilson (51).

Sin Bin: Golding (14).

Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Monye, Turner-Hall, Lindsay-Hague; Clegg, Moore; Jones, Gray, Johnston; Kohn, Browne; Fa'asavalu, Skinner, Robshaw.

Replacements: Casson for Turner-Hall (63),Brooker for Jones (51), Marler for Gray (51), Vallejos for Kohn (58), Lambert for Fa'asavalu (16).

Sin Bin: Johnston (14), Jones (24).

Att: 5,011

Ref: Andrew Small (RFU).

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