Amlin Challenge Cup round up

A first half penalty try and a late solo effort by Gcobani Bobo clinched the victory that sent the Falcons into the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup for the fifth successive year.

Jimmy Gopperth extended his lead as the tournament's top scorer with a further eight points.

But the result was also mixed with disappointment after failing to score the four tries that would have guaranteed a home tie in the knock-out stage.

The Falcons had to win to top the pool with Montauban breathing down their necks and welcomed back club captain Carl Hayman for the crucial tie.

And the tight-head prop spearheaded the Falcons scrum that earned a penalty try on 16 minutes that looked to have set them on their way.

Gopperth added the conversion to an earlier penalty and kicked another on the stroke of half-time, after Ludovic Mercier got Petrarca off the mark, for a 13-3 lead at the break.

But the Falcons were also chasing a bonus point that would guarantee a home tie in the first knock-out stage and frustration grew as time ticked away.

Young replacement prop Grant Shiel went close to scoring his first try for the club on 58 minutes only to lose possession over the line and that summed up Newcastle's night.

Bobo beat three defenders to score 13 minutes from time but it was too late to secure maximum points.

Montauban beat Albi 27-20 in the pool's other tie but also missed out on a bonus point despite tries by Jean Philippe Viard, Abdellatif Boutaty and Félix Le Bourhis.

Worcester Warriors had all three back-row players sent to the sin-bin in their 8-3 loss at Montpellier.

James Collins, Tom Wood and Matt Cox all saw the yellow cards in separate incidents at Stade Yves du Manoir.

Worcester led 3-0 at the end of a tense first half thanks to Matthew Jones' 11th-minute penalty.

But Marc Giraud went over in the 62nd minute before Jaques Schutte added a late penalty to condemn Worcester to third in Pool Two.