Gary Armstrong scored a typical last-minute winner for champions Newcastle after Bedford kicker Tony Yapp had failed with two attempts from just to the right of the posts with the score on 22-22.

Yapp hooked a shot from 25-yards in the 74th minute and from virtually the same blade of grass sliced a penalty two minutes later.

Having been let off, the old campaigners in the Newcastle team proceeded to grab two valuable away points.

Rob Andrew riffled the ball 60-yards down field. Newcastle won the lineout, and after a maul, the ball was delivered to Armstrong who dived over. Andrew converted.

Yapp's misses could be explained by tension and the waterlogged conditions, although earlier, he had landed five penalties and a conversion from his opening seven shots.

But Newcastle scored four tries to one and Bedford could not argue there had been an injustice.

Yapp's first two penalties brought a reply from Jonny Wilkinson's penalty.

Tony Underwood was always going to score the opening try when Joe Ewens spilt the ball while Bedford were attacking strongly. Underwood galloped 90-yards unmolested and Wilkinson converted.

But by half-time Bedford were back in front at 16-10 with Yapp's second penalty and his conversion of a try from Junior Paramore who popped up on the wing.

Newcastle caught up when sub Jim Naylor arrived on the wrong wing for a try, but Yapp's fourth penalty made it 19-15 for Bedford going into the final quarter.

Newcastle strode back in front with Va'aiga Tuigamala crashing over festooned by tacklers as he proved effective out of position at stand-off.