Gloucester still loiter in the wrong half of the table, but there were a few smiles at Kingsholm after this unremarkable victory against Newcastle. Their relieved coach, Bryan Redpath, said: "We had to grind out a win in the right way in conditions that weren't great. Winning is everything – it doesn't matter if you win well or ugly." Bang go his chances of being invited to coach the Barbarians.

However, residents of the Shed understand Redpath's priorities. They like to win and if that victory requires defiant defence and forward domination rather than dainty back play amid the December drizzle, then all to the good.

In fact, for 10 minutes Gloucester dazzled, flicking the ball from their fingertips and creating an overlap for Charlie Sharples to score on the right wing. Thereafter, grim reality reigned. Newcastle dug in and dominated the battle for territory. Jimmy Gopperth, their Kiwi fly-half, burst through the line and tried to beat one man too many with runners on his shoulder. Penalties were exchanged and the game stagnated.

At the interval there was a rethink in the home dressing room. "We realised that we were getting no rewards from playing lots of rugby," Redpath said. "We stressed that we should play for territory in the second half." Which is what his side did and their lead steadily mounted, even though they rarely threatened the Newcastle line.

Penalty followed penalty from Nicky Robinson's reliable left boot as Newcastle kept transgressing about 40 metres from their line. For good measure, Robinson added a drop goal near the end. When Alex Tait completed a training-ground move to score Newcastle's try, the game had already been decided.

So there was much celebration at Kingsholm, though not from Akapusi Qera, who ended the evening in hospital as a precautionary measure after being concussed. In the second half the Fijian flanker was felled when he tried to tackle a rampaging Filipo Levi and he lay motionless for 15 minutes as medical staff painstakingly transferred him to a stretcher. In another era this would have been a source of major concern. But in this age of battering ram rugby there was a matter-of-fact acceptance of Qera's plight.

"Yes, he got his head on the wrong side for the tackle," Redpath said, "and he was out for a wee while. But he spoke to us when we got him back in the dressing room, which was odd because he doesn't usually say much."

Gloucester Morgan (Spencer, 71); Sharples, Simpson-Daniel, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Vainikolo; Robinson, R Lawson; Wood, S Lawson, Somerville (Doran-Jones, 66), Attwood, Brown, Strokosch, Qera (Narraway, 54), Delve.

Try Sharples Con Robinson Pens Robinson 5 Drop goal Robinson.

Newcastle Amesbury; Williams (Tait, 47), Bobo, Tu'ipulotu, Biggs; Gopperth (Miller, 73), Charlton (Pilgrim, 64); Golding (Ovens, 47), Vickers (Thompson, 52), Hayman, Hudson, Swinson (Sorenson, 51), Afu (Welsh, 59), B Wilson, Levi.

Try Tait Con Miller Pens Gopperth 2.

Referee R Debney (Leicestershire). Attendance 11,410.