Knights’ late charge routs unlucky Raiders

NEWCASTLE remains undefeated in the NRL after a second heart-stopping win in as many weeks, edging past Canberra 30-28 at GIO Stadium in the nation’s capital.

After leading the way in a golden-point victory over Manly in Round 1, star recruits Mitchell Pearce and Kalyn Ponga were the catalysts yet again. The former Sydney Roosters ace dished off the winning try to Sione Mata’utia in the 73rd minute to break Raiders’ hearts yet again.

It was the second straight week Canberra had lost 30-28 after going down to Gold Coast in Round 1. Canberra had its chances in the dying minutes, mounting a fierce attack but the Knights’ defence held out.

Aidan Guerra, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Tautau Moga and Connor Watson joined Mata’utia in scoring a try each for the Knights. Elliott Whitehead scored a pair of tries as he was named the Raiders’ player of the match.

Both sides took serious hits to their playing stocks in the first half, with Mitchell Barnett failing a head injury assessment following a collision with Canberra forward Shannon Boyd. Then the Raiders’ Joseph Leilua also found himself out of the game after being taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury.

Ponga had another electric outing in the Knights colours, regularly creating chances to worry the Raiders’ defence and being deadly accurate with the boot to justify his price tag. NEWCASTLE 30 (Fitzgibbon, Guerra, Mata’utia, Moga, Watson tries, Ponga 5 goals) d CANBERRA 28 (Whitehead 2, Croker, Rapana tries, Croker 6 goals) at GIO Stadium.