Good Evans: Lloyd sees Cherry & Whites home
GLOUCESTER NEWCASTLE 29 20
LLOYD Evans kicked 19 points as Gloucester extended their unbeaten run in the Gallagher Premiership to four games with a home win against Newcastle.
Evans, replacing injured Scotland international Adam Hastings, responded with an exemplary display of goal-kicking with no misses from seven attempts.
The outside-half succeeded with five penalties and converted both of his side’s tries, scored by Val Rapava-Ruskin and Jonny May.
Ben Stevenson and Cam NordliKelemiti scored Newcastle’s tries, with Joel Hodgson adding two penalties and two conversions.
After 45 minutes, Gloucester looked in total control of the match as they built up a 16-0 lead, but the introduction of fresh half-backs for Newcastle galvanised them and they scored 13 unanswered points before the hosts regained their dominance to run out deserved winners.
An Evans penalty gave Gloucester a ninth-minute lead, but that was the only score of an even first quarter.
Both scrum-halves, Ben Meehan and Louis Schreuder, favoured the kicking option as neither side really threatened the try line.
It was therefore no surprise that the next points came by way of a second penalty from Evans, this time from 40 metres.
Poor kicks from Newcastle’s backs Brett Connon and Stevenson gave up valuable ground for the visitors and their cause was not helped as they had an 8-1 penalty count against them in the first half-hour.
May enlivened proceedings with an elusive run out of defence before his side extended their lead when Rapava-Ruskin finished off a line-out drive, with a conversion from Evans giving the hosts a 13-0 interval lead.
After the restart, strong runs from May and Ruan Ackermann took Gloucester deep into the opposition territory, from where Evans kicked a straightforward penalty.
Newcastle changed their halfbacks, with Nordli-Kelemeti and Hodgson introduced and it soon paid dividends when the latter made a half break to create a try for Stevenson. The scoring pass looked forward but, after TMO replays, referee Wayne Barnes allowed the try.
Hodgson converted and kicked two penalties in quick succession to bring the Falcons right back into contention, with the home side changing five players in one fell swoop to try to turn the tide.
The move worked for Gloucester as Evans kicked two penalties before a forward drive set up the chance for England man May to walk over, with Evans knocking over the touchline conversion.
However Newcastle had the final say when Nordli-Kelemeti darted over in the dying moments.
Gloucester: Woodward; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Evans, Meehan; Rapava Ruskin, Singleton, Gotovtsev, Clarke, Alemanno, Ackermann, Ludlow, B Morgan. Replacements: Carreras for Rees-Zammit (62), Ford-Robinson for Meehan (62), Varney for Rapava Ruskin (62), Socino for Singleton (62), Balmain for Gotovtsev (56), Davidson for Alemanno (67), Clement for B Morgan (62). Not Used: Twelvetrees.
Scorers – Tries: Rapava Ruskin, May. Cons:
Pens: Evans 5.
Newcastle: Brown; Earle, Stevenson, Lucock, Carreras; Connon, Schreuder; Brocklebank, McGuigan, Davison, Peterson, Van Der Walt, Chick, Welch, Fearns. Replacements: Wacokecoke for Lucock (72), Hodgson for Connon (46), Nordli-Kelemeti for Schreuder (46), Cooper for Brocklebank (62), Blamire for McGuigan (53), Palframan for Davison (66), Basham for Fearns (73). Not Used: Merrick.
Scorers – Tries: Stevenson, Nordli-Kelemeti. Cons: Hodgson 2. Pens: Hodgson 2.
Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).
Evans 2.