Wilko heroics deny gritty Sarries

4:40pm Sunday 17th February 2008

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ENGLAND darling Jonny Wilkinson denied Saracens a rare victory at Kingston Park with a last gasp penalty to steal the points for Newcastle in a pulsating 16-14 victory this afternoon.

The Falcons held a 10-3 lead at the break thanks to Toby Flood's converted try and a Wilkinson three pointer. Glen Jackson had responded for Saracens who were laboured in the first half.

Sarries responded through Ben Skirving's driving try in the corner before two Jackson penalties, sandwiched between a Wilkinson effort, gave the visitors a slender 13-14 lead with 12 minutes left.

However, it was Wilkinson - who else? - who stole the headlines with the winning kick in the dying minutes after Rodd Penney was caught with his hands needlessly in the ruck.

Sarries probed without any real menace in the opening 10 minutes and coughed up a good opportunity when they lost their own line out just five metres from the line after Richard Haughton got lucky when a dubious penalty was awarded in his favour.

The Falcons then won turnover ball twice in the space of 30 seconds before Toby Flood bundled over for the first try of the afternoon after 19 minutes.

The hosts, who had gone close through Ollie Phillips from Mat Tait's initial break moments earlier, cranked up the pressure, Sarries creaked and England centre Flood pounced on the loose ball on the inside right channel to pile over. Wilkinson added the extras.

Sarries then suffered another blow when Andy Farrell was replaced by Adam Powell moments later after appearing to suffer a recurrence of a popped rib than had kept him out of the previous two matches.

Newcastle's score stung Sarries into action, all too briefly it has to be said, and they should have levelled up the scores after stretching the impressive Falcons defence.

The ball found its way to Powell whose quick off-load appeared to catch the recalled Kevin Yates by complete surprise, the England loose-head somehow contriving to knock on with the tryline at his mercy. He did, however, manage to hold his head in his hands after squandering such a gilt-edged chance.

The Falcons came storming back as the game turned into end-to-end stuff, but full-back Tom May's cheeky chip and chase six metres from the whitewash was well read and gathered by Sarries skipper Neil de Kock, playing his first game since overcoming a hamstring strain.

Wilkinson landed his first penalty of the game afrter 32 minutes before Jackson matched him four minutes later to give his fragmented side a shot in the arm heading into the interval.

Minutes into the restart Wilkinson failed with an ambitious penalty attempt from inside his own half before Sarries finally started to string together some productive phases with Cencus Johnston, Paul Gustard and Richard Haughton in the thick of it.

The Falcons utilised their pace on the break and, after Tait and Tom May had recycled quick ball, Phillips tried a chip and chase down the right flank but Haughton adjusted well to recover the ball.

Saracens were now playing with much more verve and purpose and it was no surprise when number eight Ben Skirving crashed over in the left corner after some patient approach play. It was his last action of the game as he made way for Kris Chesney who came in at blindside flanker with Gustard switching to eight.

Jackson fluffed the difficult touchline conversion but put Sarries ahead for the first time moments later with a straight forward kick in front of the posts.

Wilkinson and Jackson traded further penalties before Sarries defended manfully as Falcons searched for a match winner.

They duly got it with less than two minutes on the board after Rodd Penney was penalised for hands in the ruck. Wilkinson and the Falcons faithful breathed a collective sign of relief when his penalty went over with the aid of the left upright to seal victory.

Saracens: Haughton, Leonelli, Penney, Farrell, Ratuvou, Jackson, de Kock (cpt); Yates, Ongaro, Johnston, Jack, Vyvyan, Gustard, Seymour, Skirving.

Replacements: Powell for Farrell, 20; Chesney for Skirving, 58; Ryder for Vyvyan, 65.

Referee: David Rose.

Attendance: 8,266.

Scoring sequence: 5-0/7-0/10-0/10-3 HT/10-8/10-11/13-11/13-14/16-14.