Deano looks for positives after late try clips Falcons

NEWCASTLE will need a miracle to reach the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup after suffering a lastgasp defeat in Grenoble on Friday night.

Despite a deluge of snow pre-match, the game kicked off as scheduled and it looked like the Falcons would leave the Stade des Alpes with a narrow win when Scott Wilson burrowed over with just over ten minutes to go.

But deep in the relegation battle in the Top 14 and following a host of narrow defeats, Grenoble were desperate not to let this one go. They rallied, and former France international Fabrice Estebanez, above, snatched it two minutes from time.

The Falcons must now beat the Ospreys with maximum points and hope other results go their way if they are to reach the last eight as one of the three best second-placed teams.

“We are disappointed with the result and it is not ideal from that side of things,” said boss Dean Richards. “But at the same time it is an experience for these players which many of them will find invaluable.

“Over the 80 minutes I thought we were probably the better side. There were lots of positives within the game but we are disappointed with the way in which we lost it at the end.”

After repelling an early onslaught on their line, it was the Falcons who drew first blood as Chris Harries, who was making his return from a long-term ankle injury, scored down the left corner.

Grenoble managed to level the score through captain and former Leicester scrum-half David Mélé on the half- hour but Craig Willis slotted a penalty almost straight from the restart to have Newcastle 10-7 in front at the break.

The score was levelled again three minutes into the second half through the boot of Gilles Bosch but Calum Green had other ideas and the big lock was driven over for the Falcons’ second try.

Willis was once again on target from the tee and he added a penalty soon after to take his side’s lead to ten points.

But a yellow card to Green for pulling down a maul, which also cost the Falcons a penalty try, invited Grenoble back into the game and they took the lead with Etienne Fourcade going over three minutes later.

Wilson thought he’d salvaged the win with his try late on, but Estebanez was on hand to clinch it and give Grenoble a massive morale boost in their bid to avoid Top 14 relegation.