Aviva Premiership

Bristol 27 Newcastle Falcons 39

BRISTOL completed their Aviva Premiership season with another defeat at home, this time to Newcastle Falcons.

A late try at Northampton denied Newcastle a potential Champions Cup play-off spot but the Falcons finished their campaign in style with a thumping.

Bristol signed off with a try bonus point performance but this was their 19th defeat of a season where they have never been off the bottom and lost their chance of survival when going down to Worcester Warriors at Sixways with five games to go.

The result sees Newcastle finish eighth, with Saints' win over Harlequins pushing them just ahead into seventh.

Vereniki Goneva scored two of the Falcons' five tries in a comfortable win over Championship-bound Bristol..

Bristol scored tries from prop Jamal Ford-Robinson, number eight Mitch Eadie, wing Jack Tovey and prop Jack O’Connell with centre Gavin Henson kicking a penalty and full-back Jason Woodward landing two conversions.

The visitors made a flying start with some quick feet from Chris Harris creating a gap and Mark Wilson then showing the pace to streak over from the 22. Sonatane Takulua converted to make it 7-0 after four minutes.

Falcons extended their lead, Takulua knocking over a penalty following a powerful scrum to make it 10-0.

Newcastle meant business and extended their lead when Goneva picked the ball up from a ruck and raced over unopposed.

Bristol were not helping themselves, one fine break from Billy Searle ending in a penalty as Alby Mathewson was penalised for crossing.

He protested the decision and was marched back 10 further yards, allowing Takulua to slot a second penalty of the afternoon and extend the lead to 18-0.

Henson got Bristol on the board on the stroke of half-time, knocking over a penalty with the final kick of the period.

But Newcastle extended their advantage early in the second half, Juan Pablo Socino and Marcus Watson combining on a scissors to put the latter clean through and he then produced a delightful sidestep to get over the line. Takulua's conversion made it 25-3.

However Bristol were much-improved in the second half and replacement Jamal Ford-Robinson got over soon after for their first try of the afternoon. With Henson off, Woodward converted to cut the deficit to 15.

But just as it looked like they might get back into it, putting Falcons under real pressure, Goneva picked off a pass and raced the length of the pitch to wrap up the bonus point.

Bristol came straight back, with a try from another prop as O'Connell was on hand following a half-break from Tusi Pisi.

Goneva pounced on another loose ball late on with what looked set to be a hat-trick score, but after racing over the line he gave the ball to Harris for the try.

Bristol had the final say however, with late tries from Tovey and the departing Eadie to finish with a flourish, albeit in a losing cause.