Quins extended their unbeaten run to five matches with victory over the reigning Premiership One champions.

They only managed one try from Dan Luger against three by Newcastle, but 20 points from the boot of John Schuster secured the points and put them into sixth place in the table.

Boss John Gallagher was delighted by his side's effort but backed Newcastle to mount a strong title challenge in the second half of the league campaign.

"That's the most physical game we've played all year. If Newcastle reproduce that through the season, they'll be right up there.

Jason Keyton holds up Doddie Weir

"If they can travel 300 miles and play like that, then God only knows what they will be like at home. There are eight teams capable of winning the championship. I think it's fair to say we're one of them and today I think we wanted to win more than Newcastle."

Harlequins took the game to the Falcons in the loose and following two coolly struck Schuster penalties, they extended their lead with Luger's 10th minute try.

The ball popped free from a ruck on Quins' 22 and they switched play through the pivotal Keith Wood before long pass found Stuart Legg on the left wing and Luger gratefully received the ball to step through the gap in Newcastle's retreating defence.

Schuster reaffirmed his brilliant kicking form with a 51-yard penalty making it 16-0, but Newcastle struck back as winger Tony Underwood finished off a move created by his own initial 40-yard break

Martin Shaw runs into Darren O'Leary

But the England man was immediately stretchered off with an injured knee.

Newcastle tried to wrest back the initiative after the break, driving 20 yards before a long pass found Pete Massey, Underwood's replacement, who touched down with a minimum of fuss.

The pack's persistence paid off again as Scotland captain Gary Armstrong touched down from the fringe of a ruck, putting Andrew's men on top for the first time.

But the slender lead did not last long as Schuster mercilessly put Jonny Wilkinson's two-kicks-from-six record to shame.

Harlequins: Williams, O'Leary, Schuster, Officer, Luger, Lacroix, Harries, Leonard, Wood, Yates, Llewellyn, Morgan, Brooke, Jenkins, Sheasby. Replacements : Wright, Davison, Going, Ridgeway, Leach, Barnes, Keyter.

Newcastle: Legg, Andrew, Shaw, Tuigamala, Underwood, Wilkinson, Armstrong, Graham, Nesdale, Maishurter, Archer, Weir, Walton, Ryan, Arnold. Replacements : Horton, Massey, Chiltern, Naylor, Peel, O'Neill, Beattie.