Warriors 18
Knights 16
KEY POINTS:
Some determined defence and a late penalty by replacement fullback Patrick Ah Van carried the New Zealand Warriors to their first away win of this year's National Rugby League.
The Warriors downed the Newcastle Knights 18-16 in a match that started slowly but built up into a grandstand finish.
Victory after five previous defeats on the road came after the club confirmed that skipper Steve Price had extended his contract through to the end of next year.
The result lifted the Warriors two places to 12th, level on points with Newcastle, but with an inferior points differential.
For the Knights, who were coming off a bye, it was their third defeat in the row.
The visitors broke the early deadlock in the 19th minute, taking advantage of an error on Newcastle's 20m line, with winger Michael Crockett finishing off a crisp backline move.
The try, though unconverted, meant the Warriors opened the scoring for the first time in an away match this year.
They dominated proceedings for most of the opening spell, but were made to pay for their failure turn territory and possession into more points when the Knights hit back on halftime.
The Knights built on strong runs by prop Steve Simpson and hooker Danny Buderus to put veteran centre Adam MacDougall over.
Fullback Wes Naiqama converted from wide out to put the home side ahead at the interval.
But the Warriors went back in front shortly after the restart, when Ah Van, called into the side for the injured Hohaia, climbed high to gather a Grant Rovelli kick to score.
Ah Van, who turned in a fine all round performance, added the extras.
The balance of the game then changed, with Newcastle starting to exert pressure, and the Warriors were forced into some desperate defence.
It was now the turn of the Warriors to score against the run of play, with Rovelli grabbing an intercept out from his own line and being hauled down just out from the Newcastle posts.
Henderson finished off the attack with a good dummy-half try.
Down 16-6, the Knights ensured a thrilling finish when they struck back with two tries in three minutes.
Substitute Chris Bailey crossed from a superb pass from Buderus, before winger James McManus scored in the corner.
Naiqama landed the first conversion but missed the second to leave the scores tied 16-16.
With four minutes to go, Newcastle had a crack at a field goal via five-eighth Jarrod Mullen, who pulled his attempt wide.
The next minute, Mullen was ruled off side when he cleaned up a bomb and Ah Van slotted his decisive penalty attempt.
Both sides had chances in the dying stages, before another Rovelli intercept ensured the Warriors would snap their losing streak in Australia.
- NZPA
