GLOUCESTER head coach Johan Ackermann questioned referee Craig Maxwell-Keys’ decision at a crucial scrum situation after his side lost their Aviva Premiership unbeaten home record this season to Newcastle Falcons by 21-20.

Newcastle were street-wise when Gloucester put them under immense pressure during the second half. The Cherry and Whites went for attacking five metre scrums when awarded two penalties and trailing by 11 points.

But, from the first of these attacking scrums, the ref awarded Newcastle a free kick.

Ackermann bemoaned: “We were on their tryline and he (Maxwell-Keys) gives them a free kick for a bind (at the scrum) that was not there. It’s frustrating.”

And Ackermann said no blame could be put on fly-half Billy Burns who failed to convert three of Gloucester’s four tries despite being one of the top Premiership kickers this season.

Tries from full-back Jason Woodward, wing David Halaifonua, centre Mark Atkinson and replacement back row Lewis Ludlow gave Gloucester a bonus point but tries by Falcons flanker Ally Hogg and scrum-half Micky Young plus three penalties and a conversion from fly-half Joel Hodgson gave Newcastle the one-point victory.

Billy Twelvetrees replaced Burns for the final conversion which would have won the game but his kick went wide of the uprights.

Ackermann said: “It is always the kicker which stands out if you lose by one point but I don’t like to blame a kicker. It’s a collective effort and nobody is perfect.”

But the head coach said the defeat had to be put into perspective. “It will hurt a lot but it’s not life-threatening like some people go through. There is a lot to play for and, like everyone, we will go through challenges in life and bounce back.

“When you score for tries, you are supposed to be the winners but we were not there today and it makes it hard (to take).”

Ackermann was also philosophical about Gloucester’s chances of making it to the Premiership top four at the end of the season which gives them a shot at the league title via the end of season play-offs.

“If we are good enough to be in the top four, we will be happy. The next week is a total off week for the players and I want them to go and get mentally refreshed and the second week, we will focus our work on London Irish.

“Someone had to lose today but there are people going through worse than us in their personal lives. We are a group who can fix this.”