The hosts were forced to play the last 20 minutes with only 14 men as prop Robbie Morris was red carded for an altercation with opposite number Michael Cusack, but despite their numerical disadvantage the Falcons still battled until the final whistle.

“I thought we competed well in certain areas tonight,” said coach Ian Peel afterwards.

“Our half back pairing consisted of Rob Miller who is still 17, and Micky Young who only turned 18 on New Year’s Day. Micky came on after only ten minutes following Hall Charlton receiving stitches to his mouth, and we were delighted with the way he and Rob performed.

“Joe Shaw and Tom Dillon competed well in the centres and it was good to see a few boys back from injury like Greg Irvin and Ed Williamson.”

It was Newcastle who assumed an early lead courtesy of loose head prop Johnny Williams as he scored in the left corner, skipper Shaw feigning to kick a close range penalty in to touch before quickly tapping and setting up the score.

Strong scrummaging from the Falcons forced turnover ball, but Leeds drew level when fit-again wing Tom Biggs exchanged passes out wide to race in to the left corner.

Mike McCarthy nudged Newcastle back in front after Irvin’s run set up good ruck ball for the try, Miller narrowly failing to convert from out wide on the left in to a fierce wind.

The Falcons were reduced to 14 men for the final minutes of the half as hooker Rob Vickers saw yellow for coming in to the ruck from the wrong position, Leeds stealing the lead with the last play of the opening 40 as Simon Worrall benefited from a Biggs chip, Whitaker converting.

The second half was more of a scrappy affair as captain Shaw left the field to be replaced by Dillon, but it was Leeds who were to score the first points as inside centre Luther Burrell crashed over the line on one of many powerful runs.

A Whitaker penalty and Morris’s red card looked to have ended the match as a contest with the hosts ten points and a man down, but the Falcons rallied in the closing stages as Young probed the fringes superbly and winger Tim Visser looked inside for work.

The pressure finally told in the dying minutes as replacement hooker Matt Fieldhouse crossed for a try in the right corner, Williams’ run setting up the ruck from which Mark Laycock floated a delightfully-weighted pass in to the corner for the front rower to score.

The 17-year-old Miller defied the elements to smash a touchline conversion over from the right hand side in to the breeze, but the crucial score could not be found in the remaining minutes as Leeds held on for the win.

Falcons Development XV:

Tries: Williams, McCarthy, Fieldhouse
Cons: Miller

Leeds Tykes:

Tries: Burrell, Worrall, Biggs
Cons: Whitaker
Pens: Whitaker

Falcons Development XV:

15 Alex Tait
14 James Hamer
13 James Hoyle
12 Joe Shaw (captain)
11 Tim Visser
10 Rob Miller
9 Hall Charlton

1 Johnny Williams
2 Rob Vickers
3 Robbie Morris
4 Stuart Walker
5 Mike McCarthy
6 Ed Williamson
7 Cory Harris
8 Greg Irvin

Replacements:

Matt Fieldhouse
Rupert Harden
Scott Riddell
Ceiron McNicholas
Micky Young
Charles Raynor
Cameron Johnston
Tom Dillon
Mark Laycock

Leeds Tykes:

15 Peter Wackett
14 Tom Biggs
13 Andy Rock
12 Luther Burrell
11 Johnny Hampsey
10 Tom Whitaker
9 Mike Aspinall

1 Danny Paul
2 James Isaacson
3 Tommy McGee
4 Pablo Bouza
5 Andy Boyde
6 Sam Stitcher
7 Simon Worrall (captain)
8 Richard Bryan

Replacements:

Phil Nilsen
Tom Denton
Michael Cusack
Max Lewis
Scott Armstrong
Luke Grey
Richard Vasey