Another makeshift Newcastle side took the field looking to avenge our European semi-final defeat at Sixways, with Mathew Tait, Ben Woods and Lee Dickson making their final appearances in a black (well, white) shirt.

They ran into a rampant Worcester side looking to maintain recent good form ahead of the Challenge Cup Final in a fortnight.

Worcester did all the early attacking, and though we stole a penalty lineout, the kicked clearance saw the Warriors come forward again and win another penalty.  From the lineout home captain Pat Sanderson went over for the opening try within four minutes, Shane Drahm converting.

Although neither side made much progress into the 22s over the next 15 minutes or so, the home three-quarters were looking quick and menacing.  The second try for Worcester came when a penalty for offside was again kicked to the corner and Aleki Lutui scored from the throw.

Coming up to the half hour, the Falcons began to put together some penetrative attacking, forcing a lineout in the 22.  Ollie Phillips then got the ball on the right 35 metres out, beat a number of defenders and almost went under the posts, but tripped up!  Aargh!

Fortunately, our threatening winger had momentum and got back to his feet to break through the rest of the defence and score our first points of the day, Steve Jones converting the try.

The renaissance didn’t last long though as Rob Vickers was sin-binned, and from the resultant central penalty Worcester went further ahead.  A loose pass which almost went dead but was kicked to touch did give us an unexpected attacking chance, but from the second throw the Warriors won a penalty and cleared.

Just before half time we kicked a penalty to touch from the 22 but Worcester regained possession, attacking at speed and Miles Benjamin raced into the corner before Chris Horsman went in for his team’s third try.

Jones’ penalty kept us in some sort of contention, 22-10 down at half time, though I couldn’t agree with one away fan who suggested he could still see us winning the game.  Personally, I’d have been happy for the season to end at that point.  I can’t remember the last time I looked forward to a second half so little.

Things didn’t get much better after the break with us knocking on quickly on the Worcester right, although they looked to have passed forward seconds earlier.  They came left and Thinus Delport scored the bonus point try.

Minutes later, despite another suspected forward pass, Worcester won a penalty on their right, and switched play from the lineout to allow Benjamin to slice in for another try.  The prolific winger scored his second and Worcester’s sixth on 49 minutes, the conversion leaving us 37-10 down.

Even more depressing was the realisation that there was still half an hour left!

The seventh try wasn’t long in coming, All Black Rico Gear receiving from a ruck on the 22 and cutting an easy line through our lax defence.  I think it was around this time that RnR said he would leave if, or at this rate when, Worcester hit 60.

However, the hour mark saw the Falcons rediscover some spirit by breaking from a penalty, though Alex Tait knocked on on one flank and neither Woods nor Phillips could find a way through on the other.

Worcester broke upfield again though and replacement wing Chris Pennell almost went over, but Marcel Garvey was on hand to collect and carried three weak tackles over the line.  51 flippin’ 10.

Phillips, the only Falcon to look remotely dangerous in the second half, tried in vain to find a way through but when he was tackled metres short of the line we conceded a penalty, and only the referee bringing play back to the halfway line for a home penalty prevented Worcester inflicting more misery on us from a three-on-one attack.

And so that is that for our Falcons’ 11^th season in the Premiership, yielding our worst ever top division finish in the professional era.

Only seven wins in total, one away from home, and just a single win from our last ten league outings.  A measly ONE try bonus point, way back in September against Sale.

The all-competition record isn’t much better.  A quiet exit from the LW Friendly Cup.  The European group and quarter-final promised more but ended lamely in Worcester two weeks ago.  We end the season with a run of two wins from our last 12 games.

I’m not even going to mention Steve Bates here, the answer to that particular question has been obvious for weeks.  Hasn’t it, Mr Thompson?

So, as Blackie would say, onwards and upwards to 2008/09, or so we hope.  I don’t think any of us will remember 2007/08 with much fondness.  If only there were a way to delete it from history, and make sure we never speak of it again.

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