Newcastle has prevailed 22-12 from an error-riddled encounter against an under-strength and uninspired Bulldogs outfit at ANZ Stadium to maintain touch with the NRL's top eight.
Newcastle held sway throughout the night, with the Bulldogs' poor handling and poor use of possession ensuring the Knights were never seriously threatened. Junior Sau's two-try performance on debut was the highlight of a match that featured far too many mistakes from both sides.
The visitors had the better of the first half but should have really had more than just a 10-6 advantage to show for its endeavours after the first 40 minutes. Fortune played its part in their first try, with a loose pass rolling to James McManus out on the right and he dived over after three minutes, before Wes Naiqama converted.
The Bulldogs made a litany of early errors but got on the board on the quarter hour mark when Matt Utai got through the Newcastle defence and Hazem El Masri slotted the extras.
Sau's first NRL try was the highlight of the night with Chris Bailey starting off a chain of ambitious looping passes which ended with the debutant over in the corner on 24 minutes.
With so many players making so many mistakes, referee Sean Hampstead got himself in on the act in the second half, electing not to go to the video ref when the Bulldogs Andrew Ryan looked to have beaten Jarrod Mullen to the ball and scored.
To the chagrin of the Dogs supporters, seconds later, Naiqama put through Cooper Vuna, who charged 30 metres and offloaded for Sau to score his second. The conversion from the Knights' fullback made it 16-6 on 57 minutes.
Vuna fluffed an excellent opportunity from a Mullen grubber to keep the Dogs in the contest but the home side seemed intent on coughing up the ball at nearly every opportunity. When they did hold onto the pill, Ben Roberts' and Corey Hughes' prosaic kicking game proved no threat to the Knights' back three.
Adam McDougall sealed it with 12 minutes left, capitalising on yet another Canterbury handling error, pushing past some flimsy defence and scoring his second try for the year which Naiqama then converted, while Nick Youngquest got a late converted consolation for the Dogs.
Bulldogs 12
Tries: Utai, Youngquest
Conversions: El Masri 3
Knights 22
Tries: Sau 2, McManus, McDougall
Conversions: Naiqama 3
Sportal NRL Player of the Year
3 - Matt Hilder (Newcastle)
2 - Junior Sau (Newcastle)
1 - James McManus (Newcastle)