In a physical encounter the Falcons competed with a much-fancied Worcester front eight in both the line out and the scrum, while the tight match admittedly produced little in the way of cutting edge in the backs.
Worcester almost took an early lead through a James Brown penalty which fell just short, but there were no such problems for Aussie Burke as he battered a 55-metre effort straight and true through the uprights for the first points of the afternoon.
Newcastle rose well when it mattered to steal two of Worcester’s attacking line outs five metres from the whitewash, while busy winger Joe Shaw claimed a valuable turn over on the floor in what as an energetic display from the former Northampton Saint.
The tactical kicking of Dave Walder pinned Worcester back in their half for much of the opening period as Newcastle enjoyed the better of the territorial exchanges, while successive passes out wide to Mathew Tait failed to find the target on the rare occasions that play went open at pace.
Shaw competed aerially for a cross-field kick, falling just centimetres short of a try, before bravely taking a punishing man-and-ball catch from a high ball on half way.
The Falcons were reduced to 14 men on the half hour when Ashley Rowden sent Owen Finegan to the sin bin for pulling the line out down, but it did not bother the hosts who scored within two minutes.
It was countryman Burke who grabbed the try after Tait had intervened in a Worcester attack. Burke hacked the loose ball ahead fully 60 metres, chasing and dribbling as the Worcester defence struggled to get back, ultimately touching down under pressure in the right corner after a winding run.
He converted his own score from near the touch line, but within three minutes Worcester grabbed a try of their own through Tongan winger Aisea Havili, who was on the end of a deft grubber kick in the right corner from ten metres.
Brown added the extras, but the last act of the half was a 30-metre penalty from Burke, which sent his side in at 13-7 to the good.
Matt Thompson, Stuart Grimes and Jonny Williams all entered the fray for the second half – Williams only lasting 13 minutes before a shoulder injury forced the return of Micky Ward at loose head after a sound afternoon’s scrummaging.
Much like at Headingley on Tuesday the second half lacked the attacking instinct of the first 40, with prolonged bouts of kicking as Walder probed and caused mayhem with a string of raking punts.
Worcester had a try chalked off for an obvious offside as their wide man was yards ahead of the kicker in the left corner, and while Worcester thought they had made ground with a 60-metre run from blindside Kai Horstmann, another length-of-the-field counter attack was to be their undoing.
This time it was a solo special from Walder who, playing a canny advantage from a knock-on, picked the ball up and sprinted 80 metres from his own 22, beating two retreating defenders before taking a high shot round the neck, only just keeping his composure enough to plant the ball over the line before walking off injured.
Burke’s wide conversion attempt just missed the target, but he made no mistake on the hour mark when given a penalty on the 22 for Worcester killing quick Falcons ball.
The eleven-point lead lasted a mere four minutes as Worcester poached a pick-and-go try from veteran skipper Tony Windo at close quarters, producing a tense finish.
The Falcons held on to their advantage courtesy of some stout defence, and a composed left foot nudge from Burke’s left boot to gain crucial territory with the clock entering the last minute.
Replacement fly half Toby Flood joined in the territorial kicking in the dying embers of the match, and with time having elapsed past the zero mark, his missed drop goal attempt served as the final act of a powerful performance which sees his side unbeaten since November 20.
Newcastle Falcons:
Tries: Burke, Walder
Cons: Burke
Pens: Burke 3
Worcester Warriors:
Tries: Havili, Windo
Cons: Brown
Pens: Brown
Newcastle Falcons:
15 Matthew Burke
14 Joe Shaw
13 Jamie Noon
12 Mark Mayerhofler
11 Mathew Tait
10 Dave Walder (Toby Flood, 56)
9 James Grindal
1 Micky Ward (Jonny Williams, 40, Micky Ward, 53)
2 Andy Long (Matt Thompson, 40)
3 Robbie Morris
4 Andy Perry (Stuart Grimes, 40)
5 Geoff Parling (Mike McCarthy, 49)
6 Owen Finegan
7 Ben Woods
8 Colin Charvis (captain)
Unused Replacements:
Andy Buist
Shaun Richardson
Worcester Warriors:
15 Thinus Delport
14 Aisea Havili
13 Thomas Lombard (Dale Rasmussen, 66)
12 Simon Whatling
11 Mike Maguire (Johnny Hylton, 30)
10 James Brown
9 Matt Powell
1 Tony Windo (captain, Lee Fortey 66)
2 Chris Fortey (Gavin Hickie, 72)
3 Tevita Taumoepau
4 Phil Murphy
5 Craig Gillies
6 Kai Horstmann
7 Sione (Johnny) Taumoheloa
8 Drew Hickey
Unused Replacements:
Ed O’Donoghue
Andy Gomarsall
Referee: Ashley Rowden
Attendance: 8,864
