Knights v Cowboys: Newcastle fall just short of comeback win against wounded North Queensland

THE Cowboys were down to 15 men as early as the first 15 minutes but the Knights failed to capitalise on the wounded visitors until it was too late.

NRL Rd 8 - Knights v Cowboys

COURAGEOUS North Queensland lost key players Jason Taumalolo and Jake Granville to injury early but somehow managed to hang on to outlast a fast-finishing Newcastle at Hunter Stadium for their fifth consecutive win.

The Cowboys got home 26-24 but threatened to surrender a 26-12 lead with just 11 minutes after the Knights scored two tries in the space of three minutes to breathe life back into the game late.

But crucial handling errors, with Knights skipper Kurt Gidley among the chief offenders, cruelled the home side’s bid for a come-from-behind victory.

Cowboys fullback Lachlan Coote was outstanding for the victors, scoring a try and saving two others while skippers Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott were heavily involved throughout.

Newcastle were best served by former Cowboys Tariq Sims and Jeremy Smith.

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Taumalolo left the field with a knee injury in the opening minute of the game while Granville clashed heads with Akuila Uate six minutes later and did not return.

Akuila Uate scored but couldn’t fire his side to an unlikely comeback victory.

Johnathan Thurston controlled the Cowboys’ attack superbly.

In a physical contest, the Knights lost playmaker Jarrod Mullen to concussion late in the first half and he did not return either.

The Cowboys were on the backfoot early following the injuries to Taumalolo and Granville and it was no surprise to see the Knights take the early ascendancy.

Prop Korbin Sims went close, only to be held up in the 13th minute but the missed opportunity didn’t prove costly with backrower Chris Houston busting over off a suspect Jarrod Mullen pass a minute later for a 6-0 lead.

But the whole complexion of the first half turned on some brilliant opportunism from Johnathan Thurston.

Under pressure to get a kick in on the last tackle after a pass went astray, he managed to grubber through and was on hand to pinch the ball off rival skipper Kurt Gidley in the tackle right on the Knights line.

His quick play-the-ball saw Scott Bolton burst over from close range to level it up.

Suddenly with their tails up, the Cowboys struck again three minutes later with fullback Lachlan Coote dummying past Mullen to slam the ball down after a second man play for a 12-6 scoreline.

The Knights had an opportunity to bridge the gap but centre Joey Leilua knocked on as he reached out to plant the ball over the line nine minutes from half-time.

The Cowboys took advantage of the let-off and after several minutes of relentless pressure, were rewarded again when they caught Newcastle’s left edge defence short with winger Justin O’Neill given a free passage to the tryline.

At 16-6 down at half-time, the Knights were still in the contest but made it hard for themselves immediately after the break when O’Neill scored his second off a Thurston cut-out pass after a long bust from Ray Thompson.

But just as the Cowboys threatened to shut the home side out, Akuila Uate gave the Knights a glimmer of hope with a brilliant individual 60 metre run through the centre of the Cowboys ruck.

It was at that point the game came alive.

Midway through the second half, Michael Morgan stretched his side’s lead to 26-12 when he brush past Gidley to score from a scrum.

But two tries in the space of three minutes to Joey Leilua and Sione Mata’utia, the latter after the teenage star bumped off Thurston to score with nine minutes left set up a dramatic finish at 26-24.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 26 (J O’Neill 2 S Bolton L Coote M Morgan tries J Thurston 3 goals) bt NEWCASTLE 24 (C Houston J Leilua S Mata’utia A Uate tries T Roberts 4 goals) at Hunter Stadium. Referee: Chris Sutton, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 15,518.

Originally published as Knights v Cowboys: Newcastle fall just short of comeback win against wounded North Queensland