An anxious Craig Gower enjoyed the perfect homecoming with the former Penrith skipper producing the crucial try in Newcastle's win over the Panthers at Penrith.
Gower, who has enjoyed a footballing odyssey since leaving Penrith in 2007, was one of five tryscorers for the Knights - who climbed to fifth.
The hooker could have been excused for having his mind on other things rather than football, with wife Amanda set to give birth to the couple's second child at any time.
But with the Knights clinging to a 10-8 lead just eight minutes after the restart, Gower showed he was right in the game as he chased down a Jarrod Mullen grubber, touching down just inside the dead ball line with rookie Panthers fullback Matt Moylan willing the ball to roll dead.
From there Akuila Uate - who had not scored in his previous six matches - went in his second of the afternoon just before the hour mark to take the visitors out by two converted tries.
Any chance of a late comeback by the home team at Centrebet Stadium was snuffed out when Kade Snowden scored his first try of 2013 10 minutes from fulltime.
Compounding the loss for the Panthers, forwards Mose Masoe (shoulder charge) and former Warrior Lewis Brown (high tackle) were both placed on report for separate tackles which floored Robbie Rochow.
Knights 32
Panthers 14
Sea Eagles 38
Titans 20
- AAP
