Record-breaking eight-try Cornwall beat Newcastle
Cornwall's third win of the season moved them six points clear of bottom side Newcastle
- Published
Betfred League One
Newcastle (18) 34
Tries: Lawther (2), Shaw, Price, Hepple, Croston Goals: Donaghy 5
Cornwall (26) 44
Tries: Cullen (2), Conroy (2), Black (2), Aaronson, Abbott Goals: Brown 6
A record-breaking Cornwall side beat bottom club Newcastle 44-34 to pick up just their third League One win of the season at Gateshead International Stadium.
Back row Nathan Cullen, hooker Nathan Conroy and half-back Bailey Black all went over twice, as the Choughs scored eight tries in a match for the first time in their history.
Cornwall also broke their points record, eclipsing the tally achieved in last season's 40-38 victory over North Wales Crusaders.
Cullen raced onto Black's pass to put the visitors in front initially, before Newcastle responded with a try of their own through stand-off Elliot Shaw.
The away side went 14-6 up when Harry Aaronson eased over following Cullen's second score.
The Choughs added two more tries, via Conroy and Black, to hold a 26-12 lead just before half-time, only for Thunder's Tyler Hepple to slip through and help reduce the deficit to eight points at the break.
But, within three minutes of the restart, Callum Abbott crashed down out wide, with Conroy then nipping in from close range to make it 36-18.
The result looked safe by the time that Black scored his second try to put his team ahead 42-28 with 10 minutes to go, and they were able to hold firm, despite Thunder's Sean Croston forcing his way through to score.
Cornwall sit eighth in the table with six points, one place above Newcastle, who have now lost all 16 of their league fixtures this season.
Newcastle: Donaghy, Croston, Siddle, Lawther, Jeremy, D Gibbons, Shaw, Gibson, Russell, Price, J Gibbons, Burns, Lowery. Interchanges (all used): Hepple, Rushworth, Skelton, Payne.
Cornwall: Brown, C Abbott, Nichol, Ashton, Aaronson, Punchard, Black, Ross, Collins, Dimech, Cullen, Simpson, Weetman, Interchanges (all used): Clark, Bannister, Conroy, Lloyd.
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte