Newcastle director of rugby Rob Andrew saw his side haul themselves off the foot of the Zurich Premiership table with a last-gasp victory over Leeds at Headingley and said: "We got what we deserved."

Substitute scrum-half Hall Charlton touched down six minutes into injury-time to clinch a 17-12 victory for the Falcons, a result which seemed scarcely possible following Braam Van Straaten's penalty moments earlier.

The former Springbok's kick looked to have wrestled back the initiative following Jonny Wilkinson's penalty in the 78th minute, but Newcastle's never-say-die attitude ensued they maintained their 100 per cent record over the Tykes.

"I don't know what my emotions would have been had we lost - I would have been desperately disappointed," admitted Andrew.

"If they had won it with van Straaten's penalty it would have been a devastating blow because we deserved to win - we were the better side by some distance. But we got what we deserved.

"We didn't start well, as we looked a bit nervous early on, but we grew as the game went on. We showed the spirit which exists at the club out there tonight.

"The emotion on the players' faces at the end showed how much it meant to them."

Leeds looked to be heading for victory - they led until the 78th minute - but despite an enormous defensive effort they could not deny Newcastle the result they so desperately needed.

Bath, who visit Premiership leaders Gloucester tomorrow, now occupy bottom place and Andrew said: "I feel much better now than I did last Friday, the night before the Harlequins game.

"We were six points adrift then and had we not beaten Quins and had other results not gone our way, who knows how bad our position could have been.

"We've worked hard and the players have shown what they can do," added the Falcons boss, who saw England fly-half Wilkinson begin his side's comeback with a 52nd-minute try.

Tykes director of rugby Phil Davies was disappointed his side could not send a record 7,027 Headingley crowd home with a victory to celebrate but also admitted it was the right result.

"It was an excellent night and the support from the crowd was superb, and while it was disappointing not to win we can't have too many complaints," he said.

"We've won enough tight games so we knew that it would be our turn to lose one at some point. Fair play to Newcastle, I hope they do well and avoid relegation."