The Dragons quickly fell two scores behind which left them with an uphill task, but after getting their noses in front in both the first and second half the final play of the match ended as the dominant Dragons went in search of the victory and winning bonus point.
"I thought we gifted them 24 points in the first half," said Jackman after the game.
"We backed ourselves to come back and we showed loads of courage and heart, but sometimes when you are that generous you cant claw your way back into the game.
"The players must have felt with two minutes to go that they were going to go and win it, but we weren’t as clinical as we needed to be and there were some strange decisions at the end there, but the learning from us is don’t gift teams those scores, if you look at the three tries Newcastle scored they didn’t really have to work for them, so we need to be smarter.
"When you play with fire you get burnt."
Jackman backed the decision to go for the bonus point at the end of the game after the home team turned down a kickable penalty with three minutes left on the clock.
We wanted the bonus point. We felt there was no way they could legally stop our maul, so I would back the decision to go for the corner. By going for the corner we’d tie them in and I admire that call.
"Our maul was dominant and they’d given away numerous penalties at the maul and we had already scored two tries from the maul.
"We’ve scored more maul tries than anyone in the PRO14, two more tonight and if you find an area of dominance you have to go for it so I back the decision.
"We created some problems for ourselves but to be that dominant its frustrating when three minutes wind down at the end of the game. At least we get a point."
Jackman remains bullish about the Dragons chance of progress, despite slipping back to third place in the pool, the target of 18-20 points for qualification is still within grasp.
"We really believe we can get something out of the back to back games with Bordeaux in January.
"We’d have to get five points at home and then win over there so we’ve said in the dressing room that we’ve been the masters of our own downfall tonight, and the reaction is to go to Bordeaux and win there.
"Nineteen points gives you a fair chance of getting out the group, and if we get a bonus point here then twenty points would be a really good haul.
"It’s not over yet, but we’ve made it a little hard for ourselves."
