England star Jonny Wilkinson kept Newcastle in European contention as they avenged last weekend's shock loss to Connacht.
Wilkinson scored a last minute try and slotted six goals for 19 points in the 39-0 Challenge Cup win at Kingston Park, replacement Ollie Phillips securing a bonus point with the fourth try before Wilkinson put the icing on the cake and allow the Falcons to join French side Brive at the top of Pool 3.
The gritty Irish province held the Falcons to a 3-0 scoreline as the clock hit 40 minutes, but an injury-time try to winger Tim Visser and five points from Wilkinson's boot gave the home side a match-winning 13-0 lead at the break.
Wilkinson's World Cup team-mate Mathew Tait scored shortly after the resumption, and a third member of Brian Ashton's squad - replacement Toby Flood - dotted down four minutes after coming on to the field as the Falcons took control of the match. To Connacht's credit, they dug deep and kept one of the tournament favourites tryless for 25 minutes before Phillips' late score.
Brive went to the top of Pool 3 with a 40-8 win over Cetransa El Salvador in Spain today. Brive scored six tries, including a hat-trick to winger Fili Boleavucu, to go to 15 points in the pool with the two sides meeting in France in the fifth round.
In Italy, Leeds Carnegie's quarter-final chances took a hit when they were pipped 27-26 by former Heineken Cup side Calvisano.
Scrum-half Joe Bedford scored an injury-time try to give the English club a losing bonus point, and they lead Pool 5 by two points from Castres Olympique. The pool will be decided by the final-round match between the two in France.
Calvisano's New Zealand-born scrum-half Paul Griffen shared the kicking duties with fly-half Paolo Buso, and the pair slotted five goals between them as the home side took a 15-8 lead into the break.
Hooker Vili Ma'asi bagged the visitors' first-half try, and centre Lee Blackett was over the try-line early in the second half as Leeds began a fightback at Stadio San Michele.
Calvisano's Test winger Ludovico Nitoglia extended his side's lead to nine points as the game entered the final quarter, but two Alberto Di Bernardo penalty goals narrowed it to three.
Replacement prop Lorenzo Cittadini crashed over for Calvisano's second try, and it took a late dart from Bedford to ensure Leeds didn't return to England empy-handed.
