Offiah's predatory instinct punishes Newcastle

Newcastle 22 Wasps 23

Martin Offiah has scored some match-winning tries in his time. However, the third-highest try scorer in rugby league history has completed very few touchdowns on his return to the 15-a-side game. Indeed, since switching codes once his glittering league career ended at Salford, after spells at Widnes and Wigan, he has played few matches of union. This was his third for Wasps, and his first try for them. What a score!

Coming on as a replacement for Shane Roiser in the 76th minute, with Newcastle 22-16 ahead, but taking a fearful pounding from the Wasps' pack, Offiah latched on to a pass from Josh Lewsey inside the home 22. With his predatory instinct as sharp as ever, with his first touch of the ball Offiah made the corner when everyone else, including the referee, thought he might have been marginally short. Nigel Yates – who had what can best be described as a mixed afternoon – sought the opinion of his touch judge, David Matthews, before awarding the try.

"I couldn't have written a better script,'' said Offiah. "Nigel Melville [Wasps' director of rugby] said 'show us some of your magic', and this score will be up there with my best memories.''

Having lost at Loftus Road by three points in the first Premiership match, and then by two in the Powergen Cup at Kingston Park – each to stoppage-time scores – it would have been an injustice for Wasps to lose again, especially as television pictures revealed that Gary Armstrong did not ground the ball properly, though his try stood and, with Wilkinson's conversion, Newcastle went 22-13 ahead.

Wilkinson had struck with first-half penalties, to one by Kenny Logan and a soft try by Fraser Waters, for Newcastle to lead 15-8 at the break. But Newcastle had spilled too much ball, several times when they had opened up the Wasps defence, and when the weather deteriorated after the interval, Newcastle were given the bulldozer treatment by Wasps' front five. Wasps took three strikes against the head in quick succession and they demolished Newcastle at the line-out, while Joe Worsley, Paul Volley and the improving Mark Lock, mopped up the 50-50 ball to such effect, it was a wonder Newcastle have not slipped under the waves earlier.

Even so, Offiah's try still had to be converted from touch. Having missed twice from easier positions, not to mention a sitter of a penalty, not many would have given the Scot a chance from there. But Offiah's magic deserved nothing less.

Newcastle: Try Armstrong; Conversion Wilkinson; Penalties Wilkinson 5. Wasps: Tries Waters, Leota, Offiah; Conversion Logan; Penalties Logan 2.

Newcastle: D Walder; G Maclure (V Tuigamala, 48), J Noon, T May, M Stephenson; J Wilkinson (capt), G Armstrong, (H Charlton, 40-43); G Graham (I Peel, h-t), C Balshen, M Hurter, S Grimes, D Weir (H Vyvyn, h-t), E Tione, R Arnold (P Lam, h-t) J Dunbar (A Mower, 64).

Wasps: J Lewsey; S Roiser (M Offiah, 76), F Waters, M Denney (capt; S Abbott, 61), K Logan; M Leek, M Wood (M Friday, 51); C Dowd, T Leota, W Green, S Shaw, I Jones (J Beardshaw, 30), M Lock, P Volley, J Worsley.

Referee: N Yates (Bowdon, Cheshire).