Armstrong rescues wayward Wilkinson

It may be the season of goodwill but when was the last time Jonny Wilkinson missed six shots at goal? Not this season certainly, but while Wilkinson fluffed three penalties and three drop-goal attempts, Newcastle still managed to freeze out the men from the West Country.

Manager Rob Andrew knows where the credit for the win belongs - former Scotland scrum half Gary Armstrong. Andrew said: 'Gary's still firing on all cylinders. He nipped in for a try when we really needed it and he just keeps on doing what he has done for years.' Newcastle felt they were hard done by early on when Wilkinson's 50-metre penalty fell just under the bar, where Garath Archer was hoisted to intercept and clearly knocked on, but referee Steve Lander waved play on.

Luke Nabaro's charge-down as David Walder tried to clear led to an eighth-minute try for the Bristol centre, and Felipe Contepomi converted, but a typical piece of Armstrong cheek levelled the scores when he took a quick free-kick and scuttled through.

Then, with Bristol skipper Gareth Baber sin-binned for slowing the ball down, the hosts struck again when Micky Ward drove over. Nabaro cut the deficit to 14-12 with his second try, after Contepomi cut through, but Wilkinson hit a penalty to ease home nerves.

Yet, when he had the chance to make the game safe, Wilkinson missed two kickable penalties before he finally managed to give his team breathing space. Even so, Bristol refused to lie down, and when Contepomi cut the lead to 20-15, followed by home skipper Doddie Weir being sin-binned for killing the ball, Newcastle looked very edgy until Wilkinson sealed it in injury-time.