Leeds (16) 13
Tries: Blackett
Pens: Di Bernardo (3)
Cons: Di Bernardo
Newcastle (8) 15
Try: Wilkinson, Hayman
Pens: Wilkinson
Cons: Wilkinson
Lee Blackett scored the fastest try in Premiership history - after just 8.2 seconds - to help basement club Leeds beat Newcastle at Headingley.
Jonny Wilkinson and Carl Hayman crossed the try-line for Newcastle but the boot of Alberto Di Bernardo proved the difference between the two sides.
The Argentine fly-half kicked three penalties and a conversion as Leeds boosted their slim hopes of survival.
Leeds are now 10 points behind 11th-placed Worcester Warriors.
Steve Bates, who has been put in charge of Newcastle until the end of the season after the sacking of director of rugby John Fletcher and forwards coach Peter Walton, has now presided over two straight defeats.
Falcons' 28-8 loss at home to Bristol was ranked as their worst performance of the season but they were little better at a blustery Headingley.
Leeds - who secured only their second win in 17 Premiership games - could not have made a better start when Falcons allowed Di Bernardo's kick-off to bounce, Blackett collecting and brushing past Toby Flood's feeble tackle to score under the posts.
Di Bernardo missed a penalty moments later before Lee Dickson sent Wilkinson over from close-range for a 13th-minute try.
Wilkinson added a penalty midway through the half as the Falcons edged 8-7 ahead, but Leeds responded positively and Di Bernardo's boot gave the home side a 13-8 half-time lead.
Di Bernardo was again on target to extend Leeds' lead before All Blacks prop Hayman dived over the line from close range.
Wilkinson converted as Newcastle claimed a bonus point, but their form will have done little for the team's fragile confidence.
• Leeds director of rugby Stuart Lancaster:
"We've picked up early tries in most games but we've not managed to hold on.
"Our second-half performance was probably the best this season and that ultimately gave us the win we deserved.
"We need two or three more wins but it's one game at a time and that has always been the mentality."
• Newcastle coach Steve Bates:
"In terms of performance, I thought it was a big step forward from last week and we just have to be patient with this group of players.
"I thought the commitment, spirit and effort was pretty good and the boys are really disappointed.
"They feel this is a game they probably should have won."
Leeds: Hinton, Satala, Vickerman, Blackett , Biggs, Di Bernardo, Bedford, MacDonald, Rawlinson, McGee, Hooper, Myall, Dunbar, Fourie, Oakley.
Replacements: Hopcroft, Parkes, Lund, Lock, Brooks, Holtby, Goodridge.
Newcastle: M Tait, May, Noon, Flood, Rudd, Wilkinson, Dickson; Ward, Vickers, Hayman, Perry, Sorenson, Dowson (capt), Woods, Winter.
Replacements: Thompson, Golding, Buist, Wilson, Charlton, Phillips, A Tait.
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