Warriors hold out the Knights in an exciting game

The Warriors were able to hold off a late comeback from the Knights in a 24-20 victory at Mt Smart Stadium in front of 13,203 fans.

The Warriors starved the Knights possession in beginning of this game. You'd be forgiven for thinking that Shaun Johnson and his Warriors teammates were going to run away with the game.

Roberts went off early for the Knights with an ankle injury. This left the visitors with a makeshift halves pairing. The Knights didn't let this worry them and took the opportunity to get on the board in the 18th minute through a Dane Gagai try.

Newcastle struggled with their fifth tackle options in attack and the Warriors started their set in good field position numerous times.

The Warriors came out firing in the second half with a try to Solomone Kata in the first two minutes.

Again, you'd be forgiven for thinking the Warriors were going to run away with the game, but poor discipline from the Warriors kept the Knights in the game which led to an exciting finish.

With five minutes to go, the Knights went over for a try which put them within 4 points of the Warriors.

The Knights went close to scoring again in the final minutes but the Warriors were able to hold them out in what was an exciting finish.

Next Saturday the Warriors now travel to Perth to take on South Sydney at nib Stadium, while the Knights take on Canberra at home.

Match Details

Warriors 24 Newcastle Knights 20
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium
Crowd: 13203
Halftime Score: Warriors 14 Newcastle Knights 8

WARRIORS (24)
Tries: Tuimoala Lolohea, Manu Vatuvei, Ben Matulino, Solomone Kata, Jonathan Wright
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (2/5)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (20)
Tries: Dane Gagai, Akuila Uate (2), James McManus
Conversions: Tyler Randell (2/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Shaun Johnson
2 points - Bodene Thompson
1 point - Dane Gagai

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to the first Sunday afternoon game for round 12. This afternoon the New Zealand Warriors take on the Newcastle Knights. The Warriors only have one change with Siliva Havii coming into the starting side and Nathan Friend moving to the bench.
The Knights are without Kurt Gidley, Jeremy Smith and Kade Snowden. Carols Tuimavave will start at five-eighth, Korbin Sims starts at prop and Jack Stockwell goes into lock.

1: And we're underway at Mt Smart Stadium!

1: Forward pass from Hoffman. Probably not how Warriors wanted to start the game

3: Hands going everywhere but eventually it comes off Warriors and it's a goal line drop out. The Knights have forced a repeat set.

5: Newcastle hand over the ball right on the Warriors line. Missed opportunity there

5: Tyrone Roberts down with what looks like an ankle injury in back play.

6: Roberts trying to run it out. Not looking good at the moment.

6: Finally, Roberts decides to go off.

6: Scrum to Newcastle 10m out from their own line after Warriors kick for the sideline on the 5th tackle.

7: Newcastle put up an bomb 20m out and no one contests the bomb. Disappointing end to the set.

8: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Tuimoala Lolohea. Kick to come.
Johnson breaks the line and passes to Lolohea who goes over in the corner!

8: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Easy conversion there for Johnson.

11: Good set by the Warriors after points. Hand the ball over to the Knights 10m out from their own line.

13: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Manu Vatuvei. Kick to come.
Townsend puts the ball up high and Vatuvei steals the ball off Uate to go over for the four points!

15: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Hits the left upright and misses.

16: McManus drops the bomb and Gagai is there to clean it up. Warriors nearly over for another four points.

17: UNFORCED ERROR WARRIORS
Sam Tomkins makes an unforced error.
Tomkins goes to dummy half and leaves without the ball.

18: And now we're having coaching lessons from the ref on how to feed a scrum

18: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Dane Gagai. Kick to come.
Gagai at first receiver from the scrum and accelerates through the line and goes on to score!

19: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyler Randell unsuccessful.
Randell taking over from Roberts and can't make the conversion.

21: Thompson nearly breaks through the line off a short pass from Johnson.

22: Knights seem lost on attack without Roberts. They're struggling with 5th tackle options.

23: We're going to the video ref for a possible try to the Knights after Johnsons pass misses the mark and McManus runs away to score.

24: No try as Thompson is tackled without the ball. Warriors with a penalty 20m out.

26: Now we're off to the video ref for a possible try to the Warriors. Looked held up but the ref has sent it up as a try.

26: This will be interesting. Ball doesn't look to have touched the ground but is it enough to overturn the decision?

27: Thompson also looks to have taken out a Newcastle player in the play the ball.

25: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Ben Matulino. Kick to come.
Warriors lucky there to get that one.

25: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Very easy conversion missed by Johnson. Instant karma?

27: Penalty against the Warriors after a high tackle from Lillyman.

30: Johnson kicks the ball straight into a Knights player and the ball bounces off into an offside player and we now have a Warriors scrum. A bit of luck there off a poor kick.

31: UNFORCED ERROR WARRIORS
Albert Vete makes an unforced error.
Another case of instant karma with Vete not able to hold onto the ball.

32: Another penalty to the Knights. They now go on the attack 40m out.

33: Yet another penalty to the Knights with Friend lying on the tackle too long.

33: The Warriors may have paid the ultimate price for poor discipline. We're checking for a possible try to Uate.

33: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Akuila Uate. Kick to come.
Uate did it easy in the end!

34: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyler Randell unsuccessful.
Never looked like going over.

37: Crowd booing for a lost ball from Beau Scott but the ref has ruled it went backwards.

37: Penalty against the Knights for Tompkins being tackled in the air.

39: The Warriors force a repeat set through a perfectly weighted kick by Johnson.

40: UNFORCED ERROR WARRIORS
Chad Townsend makes an unforced error.
Shows and goes but can't hold onto the ball.

40: Half time. The Warriors starved the Knights of possession early on but they have managed to get themselves back into the game. Goal kicking could be a worry for the Knights later in the game if it remains close.

40: And we're back for the second half!

41: Welcome to the second half Sam Tomkins. He's smashed by Tariq Sims as soon as he comes down from taking the bomb.

43: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Solomone Kata. Kick to come.
Knights pay the price for a strip penalty with Kata smashing straight through the line and goes over to score.

44: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson successful.
Johnson doesn't miss this easy conversion.

46: Penalty against the Warriors. Knights now on the attack 40m out.

47: Penalty against the Knights as Tariq Sims runs behind Uate.

48: The Knights are really missing Roberts in attack. They really need Tuimavave to take more control on the 5th tackle.

50: Again a poor 5th tackle option from the Knights. Caught with the ball on the last tackle.

51: Johnson kicks early for field position and it's taken the Knights players three tackles to get back on side

53: A little bit of hot potato sees Warriors with the scrum feed.

53: And we have some more instant karma. Warriors lucky to have the scrum feed but then lose the ball.

54: Warriors compound the lost ball with a penalty. Knights now on the attack.

55: Clydsdale's kick right on the line had too much to it and we have a seven tackle set for the Warrirors.

58: Penalty against the Warriors for a strip with two in the tackle.

60: Knights force a repeat set. Warriors drop out.

61: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by James McManus. Kick to come.
Some great footy from Tuimavave and Korbin Sims sees McManus go over in the corner!

62: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyler Randell successful.
You would think he was a full time kicker watching that kick!

63: The rain has started at Mr Smart Stadium. How will this affect the final 20mins of the game?

65: Johnson with another kick straight into a Knights player. This one goes over the sideline and we have a scrum with a Knights feed.

67: Knights aren't square at marker and the Warriors get a relieving penalty to help them out of their own half.

68: We're off to the video ref for a possible try to the Warriors. Perfectly placed kick by Johnson to get it in the in goal.

69: TRY WARRIORS
Scored by Jonathan Wright. Kick to come.
No doubt about Wright grounding the ball for that try!

70: Another damaging run from Thompson the in the lead up to that try. He's having a great game today.

70: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WARRIORS
Conversion attempt by Shaun Johnson unsuccessful.
Another ball into the upright.

74: Kata goes close to going over but his foot goes into to touch before he can put the ball down.

75: Another penalty against the Warriors for having their hand in the play the ball.

75: Off to the video ref to check the grounding for a Uate try. It's been sent up as a try.

75: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Akuila Uate. Kick to come.
Doesn't let three Warriors defenders hanging off him stop him from scoring!

75: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyler Randell successful.
Straight through the posts.

77: Poor chase from the Knights sees no pressure on Tomkins to take the bomb. Not what you want to see when you're four points down.

78: UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Joseph Leilua makes an unforced error.
Knights were looking good after a break from Uate. Leilua then drops the ball - is that the end for the Knights?

79: Checking for obstruction on a possible Warriors try.

79: It's no try after Thompson gets in the way of the Knights defenders. Penalty to the Knights!

80: Ball was going through the hands but the Warriors were able to hold out the Knights in the end.

80: What an exciting finish to a great game of footy. The Warriors always looked to be in control but would have been a little worried at the end when the Knights fought back.
Thanks for joining us today - stay tuned for the match report, and join us on our forums for more Rugby League discussion about the match.