European Champions Cup: Newcastle Falcons 24-27 Toulon

Falcons wing Vereniki Goneva could not find a way to the tryline

Newcastle's Champions Cup campaign came to a sobering end with a narrow defeat by three-time champions Toulon.

The Falcons scored a well-worked early try from Josh Matavesi, but tries from wings Daniel Ikpefan and Filipo Nakosi put Toulon clear at the break.

An error-strewn second half burst into life in the final 10 minutes as Nemani Nagusa burrowed over and Michael Young darted in to put Newcastle ahead.

But replacement Bastien Soury barged over to snatch victory for Toulon.

Both sides' hopes of making the last eight were already over before kick-off, but each needed momentum to revive flagging domestic campaigns.

Toulon, 11th in the French Top 14, now have a first away win in 11 months to build on.

By contrast, the Falcons - bottom of the Premiership - will return to domestic action on the back of a seventh straight defeat.

The hosts upset Montpellier at Kingston Park in October, a week after beating Toulon on the Cote D'Azur, but rarely looked like rediscovering the spirit and quality that fuelled those victories.

Newcastle went over for the first score as a clever training-ground move put Tom Arscott through a hole and Matavesi's supporting line was rewarded with a score.

But Ikpefan's score, allowed despite Newcastle's claims that their defence had been prised open with some illegal crossing, followed soon after.

The visitors' second was created from Louis Carbonel. The 19-year-old, who steered France to the world under-20 title last summer and enjoyed an impressive hour in a number 10 shirt once donned by Jonny Wilkinson, twirled away from Ryan Burrows and offloaded to Josua Tuisova who put Nakosi into the corner.

The second half was clogged with handling errors as Newcastle's execution initially failed to match their ambitions.

With England coach Eddie Jones looking on, flanker Gary Graham failed to make an impact at the breakdown while George McGuigan's line-out throws went alarmingly awry.

Kingston Park briefly believed as number eight Nagusa's short-range effort was followed a minute later by Young's try from Matavesi's dummy and dart.

But Soury swatted aside fellow replacement Tevita Cavubati to condemn Newcastle to yet another defeat.

Newcastle: Tom Arscott; Vereniki Goneva, Chris Harris, Josh Matavesi, Sinoti Sinoti; Toby Flood (c), Sonatane Takulua; Adam Brocklebank, George McGuigan, Trevor Davison, Will Witty, Glen Young, Ryan Burrows, Gary Graham, Nemani Nagusa

Replacements: Zach Kibirige for Goneva (63), Michael Young for Takulua (65), Sami Mavinga for Brocklebank (49), Tevita Cavubati for Witty (52), Callum Chick for Burrows (57). Not Used: Santiago Socino, David Wilson, Brett Connon.

Toulon: Mathieu Smaili; Daniel Ikpefan, Josua Tuisova, Julian Savea, Filipo Nakosi; Louis Carbonel, Yoann Cottin; Bruce Devaux, Anthony Etrillard, Marcel van der Merwe, Mamuka Gorgodze, Romain Taofifenua (c), Jean Monribot, Stephane Onambele Mbarga, Liam Messam.

Replacements: Mathieu Bastareaud for Ikpefan (53), Anthony Belleau for Carbonel (57), Rhys Webb for Cottin (57), Jean Baptiste Gros for Devaux (49), Bastien Soury for Etrillard (56), Matthieu Loudet for van der Merwe (68), Juandre Kruger for Gorgodze (61), Corentin Vernet for Taofifenua (49)

Referee: Dan Jones (Wales)

For the latest rugby union news follow @bbcrugbyunion on Twitter.