Newcastle Falcons confounded the critics on Friday night as they powered to a Gallagher Premiership victory over Saracens, recording their fourth successive home win.

In front of a season-high home crowd of 6,187 the home side led 17-5 at the interval, offering ferocious forward play and cutting angles in the backs to get Kingston Park rocking on its ‘Big Night Oot’.

It was the Falcons who got the scoring underway just three minutes in when Brett Connon slotted a 20-metre penalty from just left of centre, negotiating a sturdy crosswind in the process.

The fly-half fired just wide with a long-range penalty five minutes later as Newcastle looked to reap the gains of a highly physical start to proceedings, and his side went close again when Philip van der Walt won a turnover inside his own half and fed Ben Stevenson, who chipped his man before being taken out.

Saracens took the lead on 18 minutes when Theo Dan and Alex Lozowski freed Tobias Elliott for an unconverted try in the right corner,but it did not last long as the Falcons flew to the other end of the field and scored a converted try through Alex Hearle.

The winger raced between the uprights on a hard line at first receiver, the Falcons playing a well-worked advantage with forward pressure near the posts having earned them a penalty in waiting.

Connon kicked the conversion but was fractionally off-target from a penalty just before the half-hour – not that it affected the momentum of his side and the volume of the crowd.

To a man they were on their feet on 33 minutes, saluting the work of the men in black as Adam Radwan dived in for a scorching try at the right corner with his first touch of the ball, another sharp angle from Hearle and quick hands along the line exploiting the space.

Connon sent over a majestic touchline conversion for a 12-point half-time lead, and the drama kept on coming after the break when Falcons flanker Tom Gordon stole possession in midfield and almost found a third try for his side, who were only denied by some superb scramble from Saracens.

The Londoners grew into the game and threatened repeatedly with prime field position around the hour mark, but the wall of black was standing firm with discipline and patience to the fore, repeatedly thwarting their heralded opponents.

There was late drama when Tom Willis powered over for a converted pick-and-go try near the posts, but the Falcons found the wherewithal to hold on for a remarkable home win.

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Ethan Grayson (Adam Radwan, 32), 14 Ben Stevenson, 13 Sammy Arnold, 12 Cameron Hutchison, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart (Max Pepper, 66); 1 Murray McCallum (Mike Rewcastle, 77), 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Sebastian de Chaves (Kiran McDonald, 77), 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Scorers – Tries: Alex Hearle, Adam Radwan. Conversions: Brett Connon 2. Penalties: Brett Connon.

Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Tobias Elliott (Tom Parton,70), 13 Alex Lozowski (Sam Spink,38), 12 Nick Tompkins, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Ivan van Zyl (captain, Gareth Simpson, 56); 1 Rhys Carre (Eroni Mawi, 45), 2 Theo Dan (James Hadfield, 62), 3 Fraser Balmain (Marco Riccioni, 45), 4 Theo McFarland, 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez (Harry Wilson, 69), 7 Toby Knight (Nathan Michelow, 54), 8 Tom Willis.

Scorers – Tries: Tobias Elliott, Tom Willis.Conversions: Fergus Burke

Referee: Matthew Carley. Attendance: 6,187.