Falcons close relegation gap but miss bonus
NEWCASTLE’s Dean Richards was left to regret two tries and a bonus point that got away from his Falcons side in the battle of the Premiership’s bottom two. Try-scorer Zach Kibirige looked to have racked up a double, only to have his second effort ruled out by the TMO after a brilliant chip and chase. Prop Logovi’i Mulipola was also denied a score when referee wayne Barnes judged him offside as Toby Flood kicked through. Man-of-the-match Flood did score a try, while his opposite number Duncan weir’s two penalties were the only points on the board for worcester. ‘The slight disappointment is that we’re not sitting here with five points instead of four, which we’d set our sights on,’ said Richards, the Newcastle director of rugby. ‘The boys are disappointed.’ Denying worcester a losing bonus point means the gap at the bottom is now down to five points. ‘I thought we were fantastic in the first half and scored two great tries and probably should have had another two.’ Newcastle face a trip to wasps next Saturday while worcester take on leaders exeter. worcester director of rugby Alan Solomons knows he has to get his side back on track. ‘It was a disappointing result and a disappointing performance. They won the collisions throughout the first half,’ Solomons said. ‘we now have a battle on our hands.’