Bonus-point win for Gloucester

Gloucester got back to winning ways on Saturday as they comfortably defeated Newcastle 34-9 in front of their supporters at Kingsholm.

The bonus-point win bolstered the Cherry and Whites' play-off hopes and dealt another blow to the Falcons as they bid to safeguard their top-flight status.

Alan Tait's men lie just six points ahead of bottom-placed Leeds Carnegie, who face Exeter at Headingley on Sunday knowing that victory would edge them to within touching distance of their northern foes.

Freddie Burns landed a penalty and then scampered clear for a try which he also converted to put Gloucester 10-0 up.

Three penalties from Jimmy Gopperth cut the gap to a point before half-time but Gloucester were in total control after the restart.

Burns kicked his second penalty and Henry Trinder then went over in the 64th minute when he collected Luke Narraway's fine offload to scuttle clear. Tim Taylor converted that try and Newcastle then lost Ally Hogg to the sin-bin and were made to pay as Jonny May went over for that, Taylor converted from the touchline.

And with a bonus-point touchdown now up for grabs, Rory Lawson rounded off more good work by Narraway for a score which Taylor converted.

The scorers:

For Gloucester:
Tries: Burns, Trinder, May, Lawson
Con: Burns, Taylor 3
Pen: Burns

For Newcastle:
Pen: Gopperth

Gloucester: 15 Freddie Burns, 14 Jonny May, 13 Tim Molenaar, 12 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, 11 Tom Voyce, 10 Nicky Robinson, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Paul Doran-Jones, 2 Olivier Azam, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Alasdair Dickinson, 18 Rupert Harden, 19 Dave Attwood, 20 Brett Deacon, 21 Jordi Pasqualin, 22 Tim Taylor, 23 Henry Trinder.

Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Tane Tu'uipulotu, 13 Rob Vickerman, 12 Luke Eves, 11 Rikki Sheriffe, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Micky Young, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 6 Mark Wilson, 5 Tim Swinson, 4 James Hudson, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Rob Vickers, 1 Grant Shiells.
Replacements: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 James Hall, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Glen Townson, 20 Alex Gray, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 James Fitzpatrick, 23 Tom Catterick.

Referee: Sean Davey
Assistant referees: Nigel Carrick, Don Helme