Newcastle Falcons opened their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign on Saturday by taking all five points at Caldy.

The visitors led 19-0 at the interval and got the scoring underway after just four minutes when Oli Spencer scored in the left corner.

That was quickly followed by Hugh O’Sullivan after a line-break down the right and quick hands to work the ball back infield, with Brett Connon adding the conversion.

A third try was denied on 20 minutes when a barrage of close-range forward pressure ended up with the Falcons being held up over the try line.

Oli Spencer’s grubber to the in-goal was grounded by the Caldy scrambling defence around the half-hour as Newcastle’s lead remained at two tries, and they came within a whisker of a third when Cameron Hutchison burst into the 22 only to be hauled back just a metre short.

But they secured a 19-point advantage with the final play of the half, Freddie Lockwood marking his 50^th appearance with a try when he hit a hard line from a lineout down the right and ran over the top of the last man, Connon converting.

Newcastle’s dominance continued into the second half as they searched for the four-try bonus point – Nathan Greenwood breaking clear down the left before being pulled back for a forward pass earlier in the move.

Caldy got themselves on the board when Adam Aigbokhae collected an offload on 58 minutes to score between the posts, Daniel Rabbette adding the extras.

Falcons found their four-try bonus on the hour mark when Adam Radwan freed Nathan Greenwood for a converted try down the left, but Caldy hit back as replacement scrum-half Oliver Winn scored down the right.

Radwan turned scorer shortly after when he collected an offload from Jack Metcalf for a converted try down the right – Metcalf showing a neat outside break to create the opportunity.

It was to prove the final score of the afternoon despite the visitors camping themselves on Caldy’s line for the last few minutes, the home side showing stern resistance right until the end.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Oli Spencer, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Nathan Greenwood, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Hugh O’Sullivan; 1 Murray McCallum, 2 Bryan Byrne (captain), 3 Luan de Bruin, 4 Sebastian de Chaves, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Adam Scott, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Mike Rewcastle, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 John Kelly, 20 Josh Bainbridge, 21 Max Pepper, 22 Jack Metcalf, 23 Adam Radwan.

Scorers – Tries: Oli Spencer, Hugh O’Sullivan, Freddie Lockwood, Nathan Greenwood, Adam Radwan. Conversions: Brett Connon 4.

Caldy: 15 Charlie Hyde, 14 Michael Cartmill, 13 Michael Barlow, 12 Connor Wilkinson, 11 Louis Beer, 10 Lewis Barker, 9 Jacob Tansey; 1 Monty Weatherby, 2 Ollie Hearn, 3 Ryan Higginson, 4 Tom Sanders, 5 Sam Dickinson, 6 Sam Olyott, 7 Callum Ridgway, 8 JJ Dickinson (captain).

Replacements: 16 Matt Gallagher, 17 Adam Aigbokhae, 18 Joe Sproston, 19 Tom Parry, 20 Freddie Stevenson, 21 Ollie Wynn, 22 Dan Rabbette, 23 Jacob Mitchell.

Scorers – Tries: Adam Aigbokhae, Oliver Winn. Conversions: Dan Rabbette.

Referee: Mike Hudson.