Wilkinson played a starring role for Newcastle once more

Toby Flood ran in a first-half try for the Falcons before Matt Thompson also scored after the break, while Paul Thomson got a Borders' consolation try.

Elsewhere in the competition, Bristol pulled off an impressive 36-28 victory over Premiership rivals Northampton.

David Lemi produced a stunning display for Bristol with two tries and ended with a 20-point tally.

London Irish were also winners on Sunday, coasting to a 64-0 win over Overmach Parma at the Madejski Stadium.

Scott Staniforth ran in a hat-trick and Delon Armitage scored a brace as the Exiles ended the match with 10 tries.

On Saturday, Gloucester thrashed Romanian minnows Bucuresti 106-3 in a totally one-sided Challenge Cup encounter on Saturday.

The Cherry and Whites notched up 15 tries, with James Simpson-Daniel touching down for four of them.

West Country neighbours Worcester also earned a second successive win but were made to work far harder in Italy.

Prop Chris Horsman, centre Mark Tucker and flanker Tevita Taumoepeau scored their three tries in a 19-14 victory against Amatori Catania.

Worcester will now face a winner-takes-all match against Connacht on 10 December.

The Irish province are also just one win away from a quarter-final place after a tense 19-16 pool win over Montpellier in France on Friday.

Fly-half Paul Warwick kicked the Irish side to victory with three penalties, a drop goal and a conversion.

Winger Ted Robinson scored early in the second half and Connacht had to defend well to claim the triumph.