Match Report
Jersey Reds - 10
Newcastle Falcons - 0
Leading 14-7 at the midway point, the Falcons accelerated as the game went on against opponents who were simply not willing to lie down.
The Falcons showed patience and organisation during the early exchanges as Jersey enjoyed a period of possession in the home half, leaving empty-handed as the wall of black stood firm firstly from phase play and then secondly from a close-range line-out as the visitors kicked a penalty to the left corner.
Scrappy play from both sides saw little in the way of clear scoring opportunities, Tom Penny making a crucial tackle for the Falcons on his own 22 and Kyle Cooper breaking from a trick play at the front of a line-out for the home side.
The deadlock was finally broken on 26 minutes when Jersey full-back Auguy Slowik regathered a kick ahead to score a well-taken try in the right corner, centre Brendan Cope converting impressively from out wide.
Kyle Cooper helped prevent a further deficit by winning a jackal penalty on his own 22 to snuff out a Reds attack, and his side drew level on 35 minutes after Cooper’s blind-side run helped set up the close-range ruck from which Gary Graham drove over the try-line.
Toby Flood added the extras form the right-hand side, and right from the kick-off the Falcons added a second score, Penny freeing Tom Arscott for a 45-metre sprint to the left corner, magnificently converted from the touchline by Joel Hodgson.
That left the hosts 14-7 up at the interval, but Jersey drew level nine minutes into the second half when Jack Stapley crossed down the left, Cope converting.
Sinoti Sinoti almost marked his 100th appearance with a try as the Samoan winger raced from half-way all the way to the five-metre line, but from the resulting forward pressure a third Newcastle try did eventually arrive when Nemani Nagusa scored from a close-range pick and go down the right.
Hodgson slotted the extras, and he did so again just before the hour mark when a flowing 50-metre move saw Graham scoring the bonus-point try in the right corner, Sinoti making another burst down the left before the ball was quickly transferred through the hands, Nagusa laying on the crucial pass for Graham to waltz home.
Jersey grew back into the game and showed no signs of wilting under the pressure, but they had no answer on 69 minutes when Adam Radwan sped 70 metres for a stunning solo try, burning three men down the right and cutting infield to beat another two on his way to the posts.
Hodgson obliged with the extras once more, Jersey responding with a rolling maul try in the left corner before Newcastle finished the scoring with a Toby Flood interception try.
**Newcastle Falcons:** 15 Tom Arscott (Alex Tait, 67), 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Tom Penny (Ben Stevenson, 69), 12 Toby Flood, 11 Sinoti Sinoti, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Michael Young (captain, Sam Stuart, 65); 1 Adam Brocklebank (Trevor Davison, 48), 2 Kyle Cooper (Jamie Blamire, 48), 3 Rodney Ah You (Mark Tampin, 48), 4 Sebastian de Chaves (Greg Peterson, 65), 5 Sean Robinson, 6 Callum Chick, 7 Gary Graham, 8 Nemani Nagusa (Simon Uzokwe, 69).
**Falcons scorers -** Tries: Gary Graham 2, Tom Arscott, Nemani Nagusa, Adam Radwan, Toby Flood. Conversions: Toby Flood, Joel Hodgson 5.
**Jersey Reds:** 15 Auguy Slowik, 14 Jack Stapley, 13 James Newey, 12 Brendan Cope, 11 Brendan Owen (George Spencer, 58), 10 Greg Dyer (Mark Best, 67), 9 Will Homer (Luc Jones, 53); 1 Harry Morley (Roy Godfrey, 62), 2 Jack Macfarlane (TJ Harris, 65), 3 Leeroy Atalifo (Alec Clarey, 40), 4 Charlie Beckett (Rory Bartle, 67), 5 Kyle Hatherell, 6 Jake Upfield, 7 Josh Bainbridge (captain), 8 Janco Venter (Max Argyle, 61).
**Jersey scorers -** Tries: Auguy Slowik, Jack Stapley, TJ Harris. Conversions: Brendan Cope 2.
**Referee:** Karl Dickson. **Attendance:** 3,795.
