Newcastle head coach Alex Codling thanked home crowd support despite another defeat

Newcastle Falcons head coach Alex Codling heaped praises on the home crowd despite them suffering another defeat in the recently concluded Gallagher Premiership clash against Bristol Bears.

Over 6,000 spectators attended the encounter on Friday but tries from Harry Thacker, Virimi Vakatawa and Gabriel Oghre ensured the Bears completed a 13-21 victory.

The result meant Newcastle are yet to win a game this season and now are languishing at the bottom of the table after suffering their ninth consecutive defeat.

“I want to thank the crowd because they were brilliant again tonight – they turned up in numbers and really got behind the team," said Codling to the club's official website.

“We’re doing it tough at the moment – our fans know that but they also see the effort from the players, and the spirit was epitomised by the end of the game.

“The result had already gone for us and Bristol were playing for a bonus point, we only had 14 men on the field with Mateo Carreras going off with a dead leg but we went up the other end and scored at the hooter.

“I know it didn’t affect the result but that told me a lot about the character of this group, because they don’t roll over.

“Ultimately we were a single point away from a losing bonus, but that’s just where we are at the moment.”