Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership Round 1: Newcastle Falcons 3-24 Bristol Bears
Bristol Bears director of rugby Pat Lam
©Steve Haag
Newcastle Falcons 3-24 Bristol Bears, Kingston Park
Bristol Bears kick-started the ongoing Gallagher Premiership with a 24-3 win over Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on Friday.
Newcastle came into the season having lost all their matches in the previous campaign and their losing streak continued with a penalty kick from Brett Connon being their only points in the game.
The visitors opened their account in the 5th minute as a perfect offload from James Dun allowed James Williams to touchdown but AJ MacGinty missed out on the conversion making it 0-5.
The Bears almost doubled their tally shortly with but a pass from Williams was not collected by Siva Naulago which could have been their second try.
As the break was approaching, Newcastle won a scrum penalty which Brett Connon converted as the gap between the two teams came down to two points at the end of the opening half.
Pat Lam's side were the quickest to get off the block in the second half as Naulago made amends this time as he dotted down after collecting a swift pass from Benhard Janse van Rensburg. MacGinty got the conversion right this time as the scoreline remained 3-12.
The 63rd minute saw Max Malins scored the first of his two tries with MacGinty providing a turn over and the fly-half also kicked the extras making it 3-19. The much needed bonus point for Bristol came in the 76th minute as MacGinty once again played a pivotal role with his kick setting up Malins' second try as Lam's side kick-started their campaign with a 21 point victory.
Team line up:
Newcastle: Obatoyimbo; Radwan, Doherty, Arnold, Stevenson; Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, Blamire, Palframan, Hawkins, McDonald, Lockwood, Gordon, Chick.
Reserves: Fletcher, de Bruin, McCallum, Scott, Leatherbarrow, Brown, Redshaw.
Bristol: Malins; Naulago, Janse van Rensburg, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty, Randall; Genge, Oghre, Lahiff, Dun, Batley, Luatua, Heenan, Harding.
Reserves: Capon, Woolmore, Kloska, Caulfield, B Grondona, Marmion, Davies, Jenkins, Lane.
