Last-gasp win for Otangarei Knights against Portland Panthers

Otangarei Knights skipper Daley Johnson will be a big influence on the team in 2019. Photo / File

The Otangarei Knights claimed their first win of the season in outstanding fashion, toppling the Portland Panthers 20-14 with a last-minute try on Thursday night.

Last year's champions registered a heavy loss to Takahiwai in the first round and with a bye last week, the Knights needed to get their Northland premier rugby league title defence back on track and it took them the full 80 minutes under lights at Kensington Park to do so.

The Knights went into halftime with confidence, leading 10-0 after the first 40 minutes in what was physical contest. A strong start in the second half from the Panthers quickly levelled the game with a couple of quick tries and soon the score was stuck at 14-14.

With the game having all the signs of hard-fought draw, Otangarei second rower Lance Edmonds broke through the Portland defensive line to run 30-metres and score on the stoke of fulltime.

"I thought it was going to end in a draw but [Edmonds] ran right through the team and scored, he just busted through," Knights coach Des Nordstrand said.

"It could have gone either way, it was a good, physical game and both teams played well."

Nordstrand credited Portland's effort to get back in the game, but felt his side's execution needed polishing.

"We blew a lot of chances where those final passes weren't sticking," he said.

"It's only our second game of the competition so we are a bit rusty and we need to work on teamwork and cohesion to get back in the groove of playing."

Nordstrand said it was great to be playing under lights on a weekday which enabled more players to be available for games.

In the round's other game, Takahiwai continued their dominant form with a third consecutive win over the Northern Wairoa Bulls in Dargaville, 76-8, running in 13 tries. Hora Hora had the bye.