Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Newcastle Falcons 13-21 Bristol Bears

Newcastle 13-21 Bristol Bears, Kingston Park

Newcastle Falcons' losing streak continued as they were defeated by Bristol Bears with a 21-13 margin in the ninth round of the Gallagher Premiership at Kingston Park on Friday.

This is 11th successive defeat for Falcons in the season and ninth in the Premiership as they are languishing at the bottom of the table while Bristol are at seventh place with 21 points.

Callum Sheedy missed a penalty goal in the opening minute but they got their opening points shortly as Harry Thacker scored from a maul. This time Sheedy kicked the conversion as the home side raced to a 0-7 lead.

Newcastle came close to scoring through Jamie Blamire but a knock on at breakdown meant they remained scoreless until the 42nd minute when Louie Johnson kicked a penalty goal to make it 3-7 at the end of the opening half.

Rory Jennings kicked a 40m penalty goal in the 49th minute to bring the gap down to one point but Bristol extended the lead with France centre Virimi Vakatawa took a pop pass from Benhard Janse van Rensburg to dot down. Sheedy kicked the conversion as they stretched the scoreline to 6-14.

The final five minutes saw Gabriel Oghre scored their third converted try from a maul in the right corner making it 6-21 before Kiran McDonald scored a consolation try for the Falcons in the added minutes but that did not stop them from losing the encounter by eight minutes.

Team line up:

Newcastle: Penny; Radwan, Spencer, Holgate, Carreras; Johnson, Elliott; Brantingham, Blamire, Bello; Hawkins, De Chaves; Cross, Pepper, Chick (c).

Reserves: Byrne, Brocklebank, McCallum, McDonald, Rubiolo, O'Sullivan, Jennings, Wacokecoke.

Bristol: Malins; Ibitoye, Vakatawa, Janse van Rensburg, Lane; Sheedy, Randall; Woolmore, Thacker, Sinckler; Dun, Batley; Luatua, Harding (c), Bradbury.

Reserves: Oghre, Lahiff, Kloska, Caulfield, Pearce, Marmion, Williams, Heward.