Steve Bates: We have to learn from errors

Feb 28 2010 by Nick Purewal, Sunday Sun

STEVE BATES admits Newcastle Falcons must shrug off the frustrations of error-strewn efforts and finally bring their Guinness Premiership game together.

The Falcons slumped to a third-straight league defeat with their 13-0 loss at Worcester on Friday night, never finding their form despite only trailing by six points for the majority of the contest.

Willie Walker landed two first-half penalties where Newcastle put two kickable efforts into the corner and failed to convert.

But the Falcons could almost have struck at any time had they managed to cut out yet more silly errors.

To compound their defeat though, Jimmy Gopperth missed a sitter in front of goal, and then Rob Vickerman and Micky Ward mucked up trying to break out of the 22, handing Will Bowley a stroll home under the posts.

For the first time this term, the Falcons front row was turned inside and out, with both powerful scrummagers Jon Golding and Carl Hayman given a torrid time in the tight.

But despite that obvious disadvantage the Falcons still created plenty of chances to win the contest – and just as at Northampton and against London Irish, so it was poor errors that cost Bates’ men a chance of victory.