Newcastle 22-23 Wasps: Star signing Lima Sopoaga slots late penalty to land dramatic win at Kingston Park
- Lima Sopoaga was the star man for Wasps in a one-point victory at Newcastle
- Sopoaga earlier set up Josh Bassett for the opening try with a delightful chip
- The hosts battled back through Mark Wilson and Johnny Williams tries
- But it was the All Blacks fly-half with the decisive penalty just before time
Lima Sopoaga’s late, long-range penalty secured a hard-fought victory for Wasps at Kingston Park on Friday night.
The All Blacks fly-half arrived in the summer on a big-money deal and his 72nd minute effort from the tee proved the match-winner at Newcastle HQ.
Sopoaga missed his first kick of the night but atoned with a brilliant chip to set up Josh Bassett for the opening try.
Lima Sopoaga, pictured last week at AJ Bell Stadium, proved crucial in Wasps win at Newcastle
Newcastle then replied with a try of the highest quality with Sinoti Sinoti proving the catalyst. The Samoan speedster danced his way through three Wasps tacklers before offloading to England flanker Mark Wilson who sprinted in from 20 metres.
A Sopoaga penalty put the visitors into the lead but the Falcons came firing back as Johnny Williams powered his way over the line after a scything break from Toby Flood.
Falcons fly-half Flood stretched his side lead with another penalty with half-time approaching.
Sinoti Sinoti provided the individual brilliance, slipping through the defence to set up a try
England flanker Mark Wilson sprinted in from 20 metres to score one of two Falcons tries
Wasps had the final says before the break, however, as Sopoaga sent Marcus Watson into the corner with a brilliantly improvised overhead pass.
Williams bagged his brace in the 47th minute as the Falcons stormed into a deserved 22-13 lead.
Juan De Jongh hit back with a try on the hour mark to make it a two-point game, but Sopoaga had the final say.
Newcastle Falcons’ Calum Green acrobatically claims a kick-off at Kingston Park on Friday
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