Newcastle's Alex Tait keeps the pressure on © Getty Images

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Matches: Leeds Tykes 5 - 22 Newcastle Falcons

Tournaments/Tours: Aviva Premiership

Teams: England | Leeds Tykes | Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle head coach Alan Tait believes their Aviva Premiership relegation scrap is still not over despite his side's vital victory over bottom-club Leeds on Sunday.

Ally Hogg and Jeremy Manning scored tries at the beginning and the end of the match, with Jimmy Gopperth adding four penalties in between, as the Falcons claimed a priceless 22-5 victory at Leeds that moves them seven points clear of the Headingley club with eight games to go.

Newcastle have still to host Leeds on April 9, but Tait said: "No way is it over. I was really pleased in how they greeted the win because we said at the start of the week that no matter what the result today we would go away humble.

"I shouted at them at the end to do so - but I didn't really need to because they were exactly that. There is still a lot of work to do. Backy [Neil Back, Leeds head coach] won't let Leeds give in, and we won't either.

"We've now got to look to build on this result. I have said all along this is a good team and if we get things right we are hard to beat. Leeds have come up against a side that are starting to pull their straps up."

Newcastle have been in poor form of late but found their feet at the perfect time in a convincing performance against a Leeds side who squandered their majority share of the possession.

"I've always had confidence in the boys," Tait said. "If they perform like that I know they'll get the results and it was a very professional job we've done on Leeds. We analysed Leeds all week and made sure no stone was left unturned. We were confident if we did that they wouldn't score against us, and we only let that try in late on."

Back, whose side have won only once in the Premiership this season, said: "It makes our task harder because there is one less game to make the difference. There is still a lot of rugby to be played and it's not over until it's over.

"I 100% believe we can get the points to stay in the Premiership. I believe we have the commitment from the players to do that. I asked the players at the end - the responsibility is now with them - do they want to make the decision together that they want to stay in the Premiership? They looked me straight in the eye and that's the reaction you want.

"It's not the result we wanted or planned for. We made 19 handling errors, some of those forced, some unforced. That's too many mistakes to make in a Premiership game because it allowed their half-backs to control possession. The reasons for that is good pressure from Newcastle and also sometimes not good enough from us, and that doesn't reflect well on Leeds Carnegie."