The joy of six
By Leipziger
March 16 2009
The Falcons survived a nervous last five minutes (or 30 seconds, depending on whether you believe the BBC website or your own eyes) to deny Harlequins a bonus point and win a sixth successive Premiership match for the first time this millennium, and sit level with Northampton in eighth place with five games left. Our run could easily end at Bath on Saturday, but lets enjoy it for another week.
Both sides were five from five coming into this game, and so will both have been wary of losing their form ahead of big European games next month, but after Nick Evans' two early penalties the Falcons were the better side overall and but for Mike Brown's late score would have already run out winners by eight points.
As it was, Evans went for the tryline under the posts and Quins received a penalty in the tackle, and the All Black kicked over, repeating the trick just minutes later to put the visitors 0-6 up after less than 15 minutes, although Tom May, our 'universal back' (according to the GP site) again putting in a mixed performance at fly-half, halved the deficit.
May's running at fly-half is quite good because of his experience in the three-quarter line, and he is a potent attacker from there still, but he is still too eager to kick sometimes – although obviously I'm still glad he did kick to Williams at Franklin's Gardens the other week.
Carl Hayman, again man of the match, and Jon Golding had the away scrum all ends up and Andy Gomarsall tried to reduce our advantage here by not putting the ball in and looking to talk set pieces out of referee Martin Fox.
Our boys went ahead on 20 minutes when on the very far left Tim Visser, who looked more dangerous than he has in recent games, collected and dived over for an unconverted try. I thought Viss must have been close to the touchline when he scored, and I am told by people closer than I was that he actually hit the corner flag in the process of scoring – the ELVs aren't all bad it seems!
Visser was also employed in defence, having to hold on when tackled near our line but getting away with it (yes those one-eyed home fans in the South Stand, Mr Fox did actually give us something yesterday, besides a try and a couple of penalties).
Although Evans put Quins back ahead, May ensured we went into half-time in the lead with a second penalty right with the clock on zero. It could have been more had our new fly-half not spooned a kick from halfway, but 11-9 was good so far.
May extended the lead quickly in the second half and Quins continued to have a bit of possession without really having many clear cut chances, although sterling defence was required on the right to stop David Strettle when he looked in the clear.
Visser almost scored a second for us when he knocked through from five metres. Quins touched down, and the referee initially looked like he'd given us a scrum, but the neutrally-correct decision of a drop-out was actually his preference.
In fact the much-criticised Martin Fox only lasted 15 minutes of the second half before being replaced by Wayne “The All Blacks are the greatest team in the world but still need the referee to help them” Barnes. Whether Fox was actually injured (he had apparently been holding his hamstring) or the assessor had had a word in his ear I'm not sure.
The five-point difference between the sides led to Quins continuing to kick penalties to the corner, since they were getting nowhere in the scrum and Evans had been replaced at half time by Chris Malone. One Evans did finish the match, Jim Evans in the second row with George Robson. Whether their combined age was as high as their names suggest (probably well over 100) is still to be confirmed.
Steve Bates also made a few replacements, the elbow victims Steve Jones and Geoff Parling saying “nuts to you” and directly disobeying The Master by coming on for Andrew Fenby, who didn't look as confident as he had last week particularly at the loose ball, and Mark Sorenson. Micky Ward and Matt Thompson also took to the field with Russell Winter who replaced the barn-storming Adam Balding. What a shame the latter is seemingly unable to play a full match.
With five minutes to go, the Falcons received a very kickable penalty just to the left of the posts and some fans chanted “take the points”. One standing next to me, who is famous for telling our players to “stick it in the corner”, said “You're all wrong” as May looked to put us eight points ahead, and did so. Go eight points ahead or scrum/lineout to eat up time? Lets take the points and then eat up time.
This seemed to be the correct option, as with just 35-40 seconds left on the clock Mike Brown scored an unlikely try. I thought that it probably wouldn't matter with the conversion to come, but by this time Brown had already banged it over so we still had some seconds left to play, and for the first time since Viss' try I was disbelieving that we would do anything other than win.
But no such worries, as May picked up a loose ball 40 metres out and ran through on his own to score in front of an ecstatic South Stand. The rest of the team legged it over to mob the scorer, who saluted the fans behind the goal as did Jamie Noon. Noon is definitely starting to rediscover his form, and along with Tulip they are forming a potent attacking partnership.
May kicked the extras to ice yet another victory cake, and within 40 seconds Quins had gone from not getting even a bonus point to having a chance of winning and back again.
An unlikely comeback from 0-16 down by Saracens means they stay ahead of us in the table, but a win in Bath on Saturday could take us to within five or six points of them – and they are currently in fourth place! What a turnaround in two months! With Bristol also only having 25 points left to play for we are now mathematically safe from relegation, if there were any lingering doubts.
I'm still sure the Falcons will lose again this season, but it was not yesterday and who knows how long this run will continue? Will hopefully get the season tickets for next year sorted this week, so another year of this ecstacy and horror in the space of a minute is on the cards for this fan in 2009/10.
I'm still not sure the corner has been completely turned – but if not, at least the corner is in sight now! Eey aye oh, up the Premier League we go!
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Today has been .... interesting .... my voice appears to have dropped by half an octave and the kids said I sounded even scarier than usual.
Great ending to an otherwise lacklustre game.
You've got a phenomenal memory however; I believe we've only met the once and that was no more than a handshake and a 'hi'.
Never knowingly met you apart from that one instance.
Mind you, thinking about it, it doesn't help that I've got absolutely no idea what you look like so wouldn't know you anyway!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:03:16:19:01:30 by Dr. B..
Are we going to have and end of season pi55 up this year ?
Honestly Touchy, I've got no recollection of ever meeting you apart from that introduction in (I think) the 2004-2005 season.
I'm never that battered that I can't remember what's been going on, so will have to take your word for it!
No offence, but I can't remember what you look like. Even with a gun held to my head, I'd struggle to pick you out of a lineup.
batt murke
doc
mrs doc
touchy
monkey
crouch n hold
ruck n roll
slacker
dgntr
jamiie
mally
pod
wino1
mars bar
charlie says
rugby rose
lucy
leipy
champers
tracywilko
london falcon
wearsider
barbancet
donegal falcon
westand
whos your daddy
and i know probably missed some - sorry !
doc
mrs doc
touchy
monkey
crouch n hold
ruck n roll
slacker
dgntr
mally
pod
wino1
leipy
champers
tracywilko
wearsider
barbancet
Struck through the ones that I've not met in person.
Add to that list:
The Pedant
Falconfan No.1
doc
mrs doc
steve
ruck n roll
slacker
mrs slacker
leipy
dgntr
jamiie
hideo
mally
pod
sam
monkey
wino 1
john lincoln
falcon fan No. 1
Is FFno1 Ruck Jnr?
cheerycherry
rememeber 22/11/03
Geordie Fatboy
Was introduced to lebigmac one day in the Hiding Place
I've met a few, although not in a while
batt murke
doc
mrs doc
touchy
monkey
crouch n hold
ruck n roll
slacker
steve1888
lynj
geordie fat boy
kath
mally
pod
leipy
RebsDad
tracywilko
wearsider
and prob a good few others who I know but don't know if you know what I mean.
Westand is one who has managed to elude me so far.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2009:03:18:06:40:52 by Leipziger.
I remember meeting a few folk at Welford Road a few years back and noty knowing who most were. And at the Wuss game with Loki's kick.
