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Adam Radwan serves up solo effort try to steer Newcastle to victory at Bath
By
PA
Adam Radwan will report for England duty on Sunday after another try-scoring performance as Newcastle beat Gallagher Premiership opponents Bath 20-13 at the Recreation Ground.
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The 23-year-old wing, who pounced for a try hat-trick on his England debut against Canada this summer, scored a superb solo effort that left Bath floundering.
Radwam, who now links up with England as part of a 45-man training squad, struck during a dominant first-half display by the Falcons.
He was followed over the Bath line by fellow wing Iwan Stephens and hooker George McGuigan, while fly-half Will Haydon-Wood kicked a penalty and conversion.
Bath, minus half-backs Danny Cipriani and Ben Spencer, offered little in attack apart from some creative flair shown by centre Max Ojomoh, who claimed a try nine minutes from time, with Orlando Bailey adding two penalties and a conversion.
It was a second successive Premiership defeat for Bath ahead of a west country derby against Bristol next Friday, but Newcastle built impressively on a battling display against league champions Harlequins six days ago.
Radwan applied the stardust, yet there were several outstanding performances by the Falcons forwards, notably McGuigan, lock Sean Robinson and flanker Philip van der Walt.
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The only frustration for Newcastle boss Dean Richards would have been his team’s failure to collect a bonus point, but there was still no doubting Falcons’ supremacy.
Cipriani missed out through injury for Bath, with Bailey starting in the number 10 shirt, while his half-back partner Ollie Fox made only a second Premiership start.
Prop Richard Palframan, a summer signing from Worcester, was handed a Newcastle debut, with Haydon-Wood given the starting fly-half role.
Bath endured a miserable opening 12 minutes, coming under sustained scrum pressure before England flanker Sam Underhill limped off and was replaced by Tom Ellis.
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And before the home side could regroup, Newcastle stung them with a blistering effort by Radwan, who shredded their defence from 30 metres out.
Haydon-Wood missed the conversion, but he kicked a short-range penalty shortly afterwards and Newcastle were excellent value for an eight-point lead.
Bailey then sent a 35-metre penalty attempt wide that summed up Bath’s inaccuracy, and Newcastle continued to enjoy territorial dominance through solid work by half-backs Haydon-Wood and Louis Schreuder.
Bailey found his range when he landed a penalty 13 minutes before the break, then Palframan was forced off after being on the receiving end of a hefty midfield collision as Newcastle launched an attack.
The Falcons were way more inventive with ball in hand, and they deservedly extended their lead when Stephens squeezed over in the corner to leave Bath 12 points adrift.
And there was still time for Newcastle to score again, this time directly from lineout ball before a slick inside pass freed McGuigan, who sprinted clear and touched down.
Haydon-Wood converted, and Bath could have few complaints as Newcastle went into the break with a 17-point lead.
The second-half began in similar fashion regarding Newcastle’s control, and Bath saw flanker Miles Reid sin-binned by referee Craig Maxwell-Keys for a technical infringement.
Ojomoh, the 21-year-old son of former England flanker Steve Ojomoh, capped a fine display by touching down for Bath, yet it was nothing more than a consolation as Newcastle’s commanding interval advantage was never seriously threatened, despite a late yellow card for Schreuder.
