Two late tries revive dead and buried exiles

Newcastle Falcons 16 London Irish17

The Falcons seemed to have this sixth-round tie under control, but lost their way in the closing quarter as the Exiles dominated possession and scored twice through Neal Hatley and Simon Halford.

Halford's try left Mark Mapletoft with a 35-metre conversion to win the game and the substitute fly-half, on for Barry Everitt, who had missed four kicks at goal, booted the winning score.

London Irish rugby director Conor O'Shea claimed he felt sorry for beaten Newcastle.

"I feel sorry for Newcastle," said O'Shea. "It's a horrible way to lose but it's a great result for us.

"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to work out that Newcastle will go out with all guns blazing next week in the league game and feel they have something to put right.

"It will be a massive game. Jonny Wilkinson will be back and it will be another tough one, but we had so much possession today we should have been comfortable winners."

He added: "At 16-5 down, another score by Newcastle would have made it a comfortable win for them and we're happy to get away with the win."

Mark Mayerholfer's influence was evident with two inch-perfect passes as Newcastle swept into the attack and it led to a penalty for offside which Liam Botham kicked in the 14th minute and he added another five minutes later, when London Irish were over the ball inside their 22.

Newcastle brought on Craig Newby in the 32nd minute for the injured Stuart Grimes. And with his first touch of the ball, he slipped an inside pass for Tom May to score under the posts and Botham's conversion gave the home side a 13-0 lead.

Right on half time, a powerful drive by London Irish ended with Mike Worsley being surged over for a try to cut the deficit to 13-5.

Newcastle found themselves under the cosh at the start of the second half, but Everitt missed another kick at goal, his fourth, in the 54th minute and it proved costly.

Newcastle drove upfield and forced a penalty which Botham kicked on 59 minutes.

Two great tackles by Jamie Noon on Declan Danaher and then Hall Charlton on Halford in the corner prevented a certain try as London Irish pressed and Newcastle were struggling in the line-out where they lost five of their own throws.

And right on 80 minutes, Newcastle held on in midfield instead of kicking and from the line-out in the corner, prop Neal Hatley was driven over for a try to pull the score back to 16-10.

Then in injury time Halford was driven over for a try and Mapletoft kicked conversion for a 17-16 win in the fourth minute of extra play.

NEWCASTLE: Noon, Botham, May, Mayerhofler, Shaw, Godman, Charlton, Peel, Makin, Hurter, Hamilton, Grimes, Taione, Dowson, Vyvyan.

Newcastle scorers: Tries: May. Cons: Botham. Pens: Botham 3.

LONDON IRISH: Horak, Bishop, Burrows, Venter, Sackey, Everitt, Edwards, Worsley, Drotske, Hardwick, Strudwick, Kennedy, Gustard, Danaher, Sheasby.

London Irish scorers: Tries: Worsley, Hatley, Halford. Cons: Mapletoft.