Premiership leaders Saracens score five tries to see off Falcons

Saracens returned to winning ways with a bonus point 29-23 win over 14-man Newcastle Falcons at the StoneX Stadium.

Adam Radwan then pulled one back in the only score of a cagey second half.

Saracens have now won 25 consecutive matches against Newcastle in all competitions, a remarkable run that dates back to February 2009, while this was also their 15th straight win at home as they moved 12 points clear at the top of the table.

The Premiership leaders took just 90 seconds after kick-off to score with the first play of the game through Mawi, who stormed past the Newcastle defence with a dummy before surging over the line.

However, a Connon penalty reduced the deficit and after Newcastle won a turnover penalty, the fly-half then kicked to touch for their first line-out in the Saracens 22. Van der Walt subsequently scored from close range to put the Falcons temporarily in front.

It was a short-lived lead, with winger Lewington collecting a long pass from Goode and then skipping around Connon into the corner to draw Saracens level, with Goode missing his second conversion.

Newcastle's task got even more difficult only 16 minutes in when Greg Paterson was sent off for a high tackle on Theo Dan and they were reduced to 14 men.

The gaps out wide quickly began to show and while Ollie Hartley was held up as he darted for the try line, Lewington crossed for his second two minutes later.

A second Connon penalty kept Falcons within two points but gradually Sarries pushed clear as Van Zyl secured the bonus point inside 30 minutes after Andy Christie carved Newcastle's defence open. Dan then sprinted over for their fifth try right before the break.

Half-time helped stem the Sarries flow, as Adam Radwan made a superb try-saving tackle to deny Ben Earl and the Falcons defence admirably kept Saracens attack limited despite their numerical disadvantage.

Jamie Blamire had the chance to pull one back for Newcastle but he missed the final pass that would have seen him into the corner.

Radwan did not spurn his chance however, pouncing on a quick line-out to sprint down the wing and over the line.

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:

"It's a valuable five points against a good Newcastle side but nobody is clapping their hands at the end of it.

"It was a good first half as we scored five good tries but I'm certainly disappointed at our second-half effort as we were very careless.

"It was a standard red card for me and although Newcastle grafted well it shouldn't have come down to it being that close.

"I thought our young front-rowers, Eroni Mawi and Theo Dan, carried well in the first half and Olly Hartley excelled up against two experienced Argentinian centres."