Exiles lose to late drop-goal

London Irish 15 Newcastle 19

Dave Walder followed the lead of his Newcastle team-mate Jonny Wilkinson by booting a late drop-goal to clinch victory at the Madejski Stadium today.

Walder put his 81st-minute effort between the uprights to secure a dramatic Zurich Premiership win away to London Irish.

The hosts appeared to be heading for victory themselves thanks to a fightback led by Barry Everitt’s flawless effort with the boot, but Newcastle never gave up and were rewarded with their first league win on the road since February.

The Exiles, unbeaten at home this season, will feel disappointed to have finished with just a losing bonus point for a brave performance, but Newcastle just about deserved to take the honours.

The conditions were dreadful. But heavy rain did not dent the Falcons’ attacking ambition as they ran the ball as often as possible, and their endeavour paid off in the sixth minute with a beautifully worked try.

A five-metre scrum saw the ball fed to Walder, who linked with Mark Mayerhofler and took the return pass before setting up unmarked centre Jamie Noon with a simple run-in.

Walder added the conversion and then slotted a tricky penalty as the Falcons continued to press, mixing up play superbly to keep the Exiles pinned in their own half for the majority of the first 30 minutes.

Michael Stephenson was proving a handful down the left wing, cutting inside on one occasion to good effect before being hauled down with no support on his shoulders.

With Scotland international Stuart Grimes back in the second row – his first club start following a stint at the World Cup – Newcastle were winning plenty of ball at the line-out, used to good effect by Walder.

Irish managed to claw their way back into the match with two long-range Everitt penalties in quick succession, the visitors finishing the first half with a flurry as the Falcons’ discipline eroded.

They could not carry that form into the opening exchanges of the second half, however, as Newcastle – obviously pumped up by coach Andrew Blades’ interval team talk – tore into their opponents.

A Walder penalty followed only for Everitt to go one better by adding two three-pointers himself as the Falcons’ challenge faded once again.

Irish squandered a fine opportunity when scrum-half Darren Edwards chose to go it alone even though he had two players unmarked to his right. But the home team could not be denied for long, Everitt splitting the uprights with a sweet drop-goal.

The kick set up a nail-biting finale which saw Newcastle finish strongly, Walder kicking a penalty and that injury-time drop-goal to end his side’s away jinx.