Newcastle Falcons returned to winning ways as they held on to beat the Premiership’s bottom club Gloucester.

England winger Jonny May got one back, converted by Lloyd Evans, who added pressure with a second-half penalty.

But Brett Connon’s penalty and George McGuigan’s injury-time try made victory safe to move Falcons temporarily top.

McGuigan’s try, converted by Connon after the clock had gone red, denied Gloucester even a losing bonus point.

Gloucester stay bottom, three points adrift of London Irish and Worcester, whose four points from their cancelled Covid-hit game with Harlequins lifted them off the foot of the table last weekend.

But, after narrow back-to-back defeats by reigning champions Exeter and last week in particularly luckless circumstances at home to Sale, the Cherry and Whites were once again cursing after a game they could have won.

Newcastle, whose fourth win in five league games put them top of the table for a couple of hours, finished the day in second thanks to new leaders Bristol’s win against champions Exeter.

The north-east weather could have been a threat to the game taking place after Kingston Park’s artificial surface was left covered by a considerable snowfall on Thursday night – which had to be cleared thanks to a massive effort by the entire staff.

But the Falcons took just three minutes to feel pleased they had got the game on when Radwan cashed in on a turnover to gallop from almost on his own line 95 metres down the right, sidestepping May, then leaving the fleet-footed England wing in his slipstream for a stunning solo try.

On 14 minutes, they got a second when space opened up in front of new centre Orlando from the restart following Evans’ missed penalty – and he had time to all but walk in his first try for the club, on only his second start after his pre-Christmas arrival following his efforts for Argentina in the Rugby Championship.

May’s first Premiership try of the season, on the back of a driving maul in the left corner, kept resurgent Gloucester in touch – and they did get to within two points, but failed to make the most of their chances before the Falcons’ late 10-point surge.

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards:

“It was just an unbelievable job to get the pitch playable. I really have to dedicate this win to everyone who gave up their time in some pretty awful weather. It sums up the spirit in the whole club.

“The players who weren’t playing spent Friday morning and early afternoon shovelling snow from the pitch, and when you consider a lot of those boys will have been disappointed not to be selected, it really speaks incredibly well of them.

“Some members of staff then came in at 4.30am on game day. As well as the ground staff we’ve had the office staff in, the commercial team, conferencing team, media manager, community team and all the backroom staff. An incredible effort because with all the Covid restrictions we couldn’t ask for help from our supporters, despite their many very kind offers.

“It was a hard game. Gloucester are a far better side than their league position suggests. But, as well as winning, I was also really pleased we denied them the bonus point with the try right at the end. That showed a real ruthlessness.”

Gloucester head coach George Skivington told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

“A game we could have won. We had chances to win and loads of pressure, but we didn’t execute them well enough. We didn’t push the boundaries.

“We’ve got loads of good lads performing well individually, but we have to bring it all together. We made loads of line breaks but were slow to back them up.

“Defensively, we were outstanding. But we gave Newcastle too many opportunities. And when you give the opposition the openings to score tries, eventually you get broken.

“We managed the last block of the game poorly. It was a bit like a ticking time bomb watching it.”

Newcastle: Penny; Radwan, Orlando, Flood, Stevenson; Connon, Stuart; Davison, Blamire, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Robinson, Wilson (capt), Graham.

Replacements: McGuigan, Brocklebank, Tampin, Barry, Van der Walt, Schreuder, Hodgson, Wacokecoke.

Gloucester: Moyle, Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Evans, Simpson; Rapava-Ruskin, Hanson, Balmain, Garvey, Alemanno, Craig, Ludlow (capt), Ackermann.

Replacements: Walker, Saville, Ford-Robinson, Gibson, Nagle-Taylor, Chapman, Twelvetrees, Carreras.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys.

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