Pearce seals golden-point debut as Knights edge Manly

Mitchell Pearce completed a dream debut for Newcastle, kicking the Knights to a thrilling 19-18 goldenpoint victory over Manly in his first game for the club last night.

After teenage star Kalyn Ponga impressed in both attack and defence, Pearce nailed a 20m field goal in the penultimate minute of extra time to kick-start the club’s new era.

After he and Manly half Daly Cherry-Evans both missed chances earlier in extra time, Pearce sent Newcastle’s biggest home crowd since 2016 into delirium.

The Knights earlier looked to have victory secure in normal time before Cherry-Evans kicked a 39m penalty in the dying minutes to send the game to golden point.

While Pearce was the eventual hero, 19-year-old Ponga’s performance will be the one that has Knights fans dreaming of long-term success after three consecutive wooden spoons.

He scored Newcastle’s first try when he broke through three Manly defenders to cross with his quick feet in front of 23,516 fans. He also made try-saving tackles on both Manly wingers in the second half, just as the Sea Eagles threatened to take control.

Fellow recruit Slade Griffin also scored once for the Knights out of dummy-half, while Connor Watson looked dangerous when he moved to hooker to accommodate the entrance of Brock Lamb from the bench.

In a sea-sawing battle, neither team got more than one try ahead after Manly responded to Ponga and Griffin’s tries with points of their own to Jorge Taufua and Shaun Lane.

Manly then took the lead through Brian Kelly midway through the first half, only for Watson to put Lachlan Fitzgibbon over on the left edge to put Newcastle up 18-16.

However, Fitzgibbon became the unfortunate villain when he was called offside from a charged down Mitchell Pearce kick just before fulltime, allowing Cherry-Evans to level the scores at 18-18 and send it to golden point.