Newcastle Falcons 26 Leicester Tigers 27

Sep 18 2011 by Mark Smith, Sunday Sun

THEY led with three minutes to go, but Newcastle Falcons’ winless run hit double figures as they suffered their 10th straight Aviva Premiership defeat.

Tongan flanker Steve Mafi inflicted the killer blow with a try in the right-hand corner, and a late spell of pressure in the Tigers’ 22 thereafter could not produce a winner.

Once again there was plenty to credit in an industrious performance which included three well-taken tries, but how much would the Falcons give for just one ugly victory?

A losing bonus point did at least get them off the mark for the season, and the 4,214 inside Kingston Park were not short-changed on entertainment or effort.

Three tries apiece was just about right in a nail-biting encounter.

But even at four points up going into the final three minutes, one always had the sense that there was a sting in the Leicester tail.

Despite no less than 11 of their squad being away on World Cup duty and a further five in the treatment room, the East Midlands giants have made a trademark of grinding out victories like this one.

Trailing by three points after an early kicking duel between Jimmy Gopperth and Billy Twelvetrees, it was visiting lock Ed Slater who crossed for the opening try of the afternoon, after ruck ball on the left was spun to the opposite flank.