Match Centre: Newcastle Falcons 24-21 Exeter Chiefs

Newcastle Falcons 24-21 Exeter Chiefs, Kingston Park

Newcastle Falcons managed to overcome a late fightback from Exeter Chiefs as they sealed a 24-21 victory in the latest round of the Gallagher Premiership at Kingston Park on Friday.

This is third win for Newcastle Falcons in eight games as they move to the eighth place in the table while Exeter are at fifth position in the table.

Newcastle made a head start to the game as Sebastian de Chaves set the platform for a driving maul at the end of which George McGuigan went over the line in the 7th minute and Brett Connon kicked the conversion.

Rob Baxter's men immediately responded to level the scores as lock Ruben van Heerden picked near the posts and dived from close range and Joe Simmonds landed the extras. As the first quarter was about to end, Newcastle seized the lead once again with Mateo Carreras stepped the last man to score in the left corner after good work by Adam Brocklebank.

Connon was once again spot on with the conversion to make it 14-7. With the break approaching, Jack Yeandle and Guy Pepper exchange tries making the scoreline 21-14.

Just before the end of the opening half, Exeter were down to players temporarily as Ruben van Heerden was sin-binned for collapsing a maul.

Exeter did well not to concede a point despite down by a player in the first 10 minutes of the second half but Newcastle increased their lead as Connon kicked a penalty goal in the 60th minute to make it 24-14.

Newcastle did well to hold off Exeter as Matias Moroni stopped replacement Solomone Kata but Scott Sio eventually went over the line in the 72nd minute and Simmonds kicked the conversion to make it a three-point game which proved just enough for the Falcons.

Team line up:

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo; Stevenson, Moroni, Penny, Carreras; Connon, Young (capt); Brocklebank, McGuigan, Palframan, Peterson, de Chaves, Chick, Pepper, Fearns.

Reserves: Blamire, Cade, Mulipola, Robinson, Lockwood, Stuart, Radwan, Orlando

Exeter: Hodge; John, O'Brien, Whitten, Woodburn; J Simmonds, J Maunder; Hepburn, Yeandle (capt), Williams, van Heerden, Jenkins, Pearson, Tshiunza, Vermeulen

Reserves: Frost, Sio, Schickerling, Dunne, Ewers, S Maunder, Becconsall, Kata