MATCH REPORT: Newcastle Falcons 24-22 Bath Rugby

For the second match in a row, Bath blew what looked to be a convincing lead, as they lost 24-22 at Newcastle on Friday night.

Bath started the match in the worst possible fashion when Vereniki Goneva scored a try for Newcastle with just three minutes played and a minute later Joel Hodgson kicked the conversion for 7-0.

In what was a low-scoring first half that saw George Ford struggle with his kicking, he would score on penalty, right on the stroke of the half-time, to make it 7-3 going into the break.

Ford would make up for his below-par first half four minutes into the second with Bath's first try of the game, which he himself converted, and the score had switched from 7-3 to 7-10 in the blink of an eye and a swing of a Ford boot.

With 53 minutes on the clock Semesa Rokoduguni scored try number two and Ford had truly found his kicking boots as he scored a second conversion. It was 17-7 in Bath's favour now.

Hodgson knocked home a penalty to get Newcastle back in the game at 10-17 in the 61st minute but a minute later Rokoduguni scored again.

Bath's third and Rokoduguni's second try was not converted by Ford this time, and that prove costly.

Eight minutes remained Mark Wilson scored a try for the Falcons and Hodgson was succesful with his kick and it was a five-point game at 17-22.

In the closing stages, minute 77, Newcastle's push for maximum points paid dividends with Ben Harris scoring a try to make it 22-22 and Hodgson was perfect for one last to get Newcastle into a 24-22 lead that would not be surrendered.