European Challenge Cup: Newcastle 19-24 Montpellier: Falcons' fightback not enough

Iwan Stephens' try gave Newcastle renewed hope against Montpellier

Newcastle's brave second half fightback fell just short as they were beaten 24-19 by Montpellier in their opening Challenge Cup game.

That made it nine straight defeats for the Premiership's bottom club this season, but they made a contest of it.

Callum Chick, Iwan Stephens and Jamie Blamire all went over after the break for Newcastle, who went in 12-0 down.

Montpellier, themselves bottom of the Top 14, led through first-half tries from Alexandre Becognee and Ben Lam.

Newcastle made nine changes from the team that was thrashed by Leicester last week in the league and fielded a back division with an average age of 23.

Montpellier, who themselves had been winless since the opening day of their season in August, were without star names Paolo Garbisi, Cobus Reinach, Henry Thomas and Paul Willemse.

It made little difference as the Falcons' bright start broke itself on the French side's powerful pack.

On their first attack, Montpellier went ahead as back rower Becognee forced his way over from close range.

When giant Samoan wing Lam dummied his way past James Elliott and raced clear for a second try, and full-back Anthony Bouthier added a third courtesy of some weak tackling shortly into the second half to make it 17-0, it looked like Newcastle were staring down the barrel of another heavy defeat.

Two tries in the space of five minutes gave them hope.

Chick produced a strong finish in the corner and then the young backs played a telling part in another, with Ben Redshaw launching the attack and Oliver Spencer's smart kick being finished off by Stephens.

With Rory Jennings notching his first points for the club with the conversion, Falcons were suddenly within five points.

Montpellier appeared to have dashed a comeback win as a long line-out sent Sam Simmonds charging through more poor defence, the former Exeter man combining with Louis Carbonel to go over and stretch the lead out to 24-12.

Newcastle refused to lie down. Zach Kerr had a try ruled out by the television match official for a foot in touch, before a driving maul, with backs piling in, saw Blamire go over.

Falcons travel to South African side Lions for their second pool match next weekend.

Newcastle defence coach Scott Baldwin told BBC Radio Newcastle:

"I'm getting bored of saying it was a valiant effort and I'm sure the players are. We put in so much good work and I've seen a lot of growth from the start of the season to where we are now but when we make an error we make big errors and concede.

"That's what needs to change and that's not just the coaches, the players know it and feel it as well. Ultimately no-one feels worse after a loss than the players so I know it's not something they are meaning to do.

"We spoke at half time about how they [Montpellier] were getting momentum at the rucks - which we spoke about in the week - and it was an area we improved in the second half. We should be doing that from the start.

"It seems to me we need to concede to get a rocket and to come to life and we can't be that team in the Premiership or the Challenge Cup. We need to be an 80-minute team."

Newcastle: Redshaw, Radwan, Spencer, Orlando, Stephens, Jennings, Elliott; Brantingham, Byrne, McCallum, Hawkins, De Chaves, Lockwood, Cross, Chick.

Replacements: Blamire, Brocklebank, Tampin, Cardall, Leatherbarrow, O'Sullivan, Johnson, Kerr.

Montpellier: Bouthier, Bridge, Darmon, Cadot, Lam, Carbonel, Coly; Fichten, Karkadze, Williams, Tauleigne, DuGuid, Doumenc, Becognee, Simmonds.

Replacements: Sonzogni, Tu'inukuafe, Lamositele, Chalureau, Foguet, Foursans-Bourdette, Dakuwaqa, Lucas.

Sin-bin: George Bridge (72)

Referee: Sam Grove-White

• Subscribe to the Rugby Union Daily podcast

• Add rugby union alerts to your BBC Sport app