23/08/2008 10:45 PM
The Newcastle Knights have held off a fast finishing North Queensland Cowboys to keep their season alive with a 38-24 victory at a cold and wet Energy Australia Stadium on Saturday night.
A five-try-first-half blitz saw Brian Smith's men enjoy a healthy 30-point lead at the interval, but the hosts were forced to earn the two competition points as the Cowboys came to life with four tries of their own in the second forty.
While the win keeps the Knights in touch with the top eight with two rounds remaining in the regular season, the victory was soured by a late injury to skipper Danny Buderus who left the field clutching his bicep.
With only pride to play for, the Cowboys - led by brilliant Johnathan Thurston and tireless hooker Aaron Payne - showed what they are capable of after the break, but it was not enough to claim a rare win on the road.
The Knights made a dream start when Buderus finished off an enterprising move inside the opening minute of play for the early 6-0 lead.
Newcastle shifted the ball wide to the wing of James McManus who sprinted 50 metres downfield before linking with Cameron Ciraldo in support, who fed his captain for a terrific early score.
The Knights' second try was less spectacular as Adam MacDougall made the most of some weak goal-line defence to crash over in the eighth minute.
Kurt Gidley's impressive sideline conversion doubled the host's early advantage.
The onslaught continued when Wes Naiqama collected a clever cross-field kick from Jarrod Mullen for the Knights' third converted try.
And, when McManus won the race to the ball off a well-weighted grubber from Ciraldo, the Knights lead was 24-0 after 20-minutes of action.
North Queensland finally got its hands on the ball in good field position but could not find its way over the line - Ray Cashmere came agonisingly close on the half-hour only to lose control of the ball over the line.
Mullen completed the first-half romp five minutes out from the break with a solo effort and Gidley again defied the strong winds adding the extras from out wide to send the hosts into the sheds with a 30-point buffer.
The Cowboys made immediate use of the breeze to post their opening try of the night four minutes into the second stanza when Thurston cut through to send Luke O'Donnell over adjacent to the posts.
Momentum stayed with the visitors who continued to attack and they were rewarded for their efforts when Ty Williams scorched passed some tired Newcastle defence in the 56th minute to cut the deficit to 18 points.
When Payne touched down under the black dot a minute later it was game-on as the hosts clung to a 30-18 lead.
With his side's top-eight hopes suddenly under threat, Mullen took matters into his own hands with a superb solo effort - his second of the night - to again move 18-points ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.
The Cowboys refused to fly the white flag as O'Donnell crossed for his second to again close to within striking distance before a late penalty goal from Gidley put the contest beyond doubt.
Knights 38
Tries: Mullen 2, Buderus, MacDougall, Naiqama, McManus,
Goals: Gidley 7
Cowboys 24
Tries: O'Donnell 2, T. Williams, Payne
Goals: J. Williams 4,
Sportal Player of the Year
3: Jarrod Mullen (Newcastle Knights)
2: Kurt Gidley (Newcastle Knights)
1: Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland Cowboys