Delport spells despair for Newcastle

Gloucester 25 Newcastle 23

What a match. Newcastle, bottom of the table, played like champions for an hour yet were relentlessly and thrillingly hauled in by the side who look destined to wear that mantle at season's end.

The last kick was the winner, Ludovic Mercier un-erringly converting from the touchline after Thinus Delport's try five minutes into added time had levelled the scores. When you consider that Newcastle led 20-0 until Mercier scored Gloucester's first points with a penalty in the 55th minute, the scale of the comeback becomes apparent.

For the second season running in the league here, both sides had a man sent off. Gloucester's hooker, Chris Fortey, saw red after half an hour for use of the boot on Jamie Noon at a ruck, and Newcastle's lock, Stuart Grimes, for a retaliatory head-butt at the same incident.

While both sides were equally inconvenienced, Gloucester only had themselves to blame for the non-tackling which ushered Newcastle through for first- half tries by Joe Shaw and Mark Mayerhofler, and another five minutes after the interval from James Grindal.

Newcastle have hit a rich vein of form since the mid-season arrival of a clutch of southern hemisphere signings. Had they won, it would have been four wins out of five. That they did not left their director of rugby, Rob Andrew, with hugely mixed feelings. "I'm very proud and at the same time as disappointed as I could ever be," he said.

Andrew was banned from Kingsholm for several weeks after making accusations of racism following a spat between Olivier Azam and Epi Taione last season. He drew attention to himself again yesterday by directing stewards to a fan. It was a potentially inflammatory situation, but Andrew flatly refused to discuss the matter further, saying: "It's between me and the head steward at Gloucester."

Azam's first contribution this time around was to plug the gap left by Fortey. Both Taione and the South African, Mark Andrews, were magnificent in Newcastle's cause until succumbing to injury. When Taione limped off in the 64th minute, Gloucester took only seconds to claw their way back to 20-8 with a try by Andy Hazell. Though Jonny Wilkinson – who had earlier missed two conversions – put over a penalty, the force was with the Cherry and Whites.

They twice had Andy Gomarsall to thank for admirable presence of mind in a nerve-shredding finish. The scrum-half expertly tied in defenders to create a try for Trevor Woodman from a massive overlap. Then he kept a move going at one corner, allowing his side to sweep crossfield and squeeze Delport in at the other. Newcastle, aghast, were left with a bonus point.

Gloucester: T Delport; M Garvey, T Fanolua, R Todd (H Paul, 59), J Simpson-Daniel; L Mercier, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, O Azam, A Deacon, A Eustace (R Fidler, 67), M Cornwell, J Boer (capt), J Forrester (O Azam, 32), A Hazell (P Buxton, 65).

Newcastle: J Shaw; M Stephenson, J Noon, M Mayerhofler, T May; J Wilkinson (capt), J Grindal (H Charlton, 77); I Peel, N Makin, M Ward, M Andrews (C Hamilton, 49), S Grimes, E Taione (J Dunbar, 63), H Vyvyan, P Dowson.

Referee: D Pearson (Northumberland).