Buderus off the mark as Knights pip Tigers

Words: Paul Jobber. Live Commentary: Josh Howe

Tyrone Roberts is the perfect example of Newcastle's season - inconsistent. But on Saturday afternoon at Campbelltown Stadium the plucky halfback inspired the Knights to a nailbiting 24-18 victory over the Wests Tigers.

Roberts scored two tries, kicked three goals and steered the side out of the competition cellar, provided Canterbury beat Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon.

Knights captain Kurt Gidley said it was a relief to notch up just their third win since round four.

"We have had a few tough weeks; a few ordinary ones throughout the year. This week will be a bit more enjoyable," he said.

Gidley paid tribute to the suffering red-and-blue faithful for "sticking by the team" throughout what has been a difficult year.

"We appreciate our supporters sticking by us as much as they can. It's been tough for them, but we really appreciate their support," he said.

Backrower Tariq Sims, who had a try disallowed after he knocked on over the line, said the side still had plenty of room for improvement.

"We need to fix up our halves, one week we're playing well for the first half and then the next week we'll only do it for the second half," he said.

Tigers coach Jason Taylor lamented his side's inability to get out of their own half after losing forward Aaron Woods early in the first half.

"We lacked execution. We spent a lot of the game defending our try-line as a result of that," he said.

As has been the case for the Knights throughout most of the season they started slow and stared down the barrel of a 10-0 deficit early after tries to Tigers wingers Pat Richards and David Nofoaluma inside 10 minutes.

But the Novocastrians hung in and hit back through winger Akuila Uate once they received their share of possession. James Tedesco and Roberts traded tries as the Tigers took a 16-12 lead to the break.

Newcastle reclaimed the lead early in the second half through utility Tyler Randell after Gidley turned backrower Clint Newton inside who appeared certain to score.

The Tigers scrambled in defence as they did throughout most of the second 40, but in the mad scramble to hold Newton up the ball was dislodged and Randell scooped up the scraps to dive over alongside the posts.

Pat Richards levelled the scores at 18-all before Gidley put the Knights back in front with 15 minutes remaining. Roberts then sealed the win in the dying minutes when he jinked and dummied his way over in the corner.

Next week will see the Knights head to Melbourne for a daunting clash with the Storm on Monday night, while the Tigers head to Remondis Stadium next Saturday afternoon for an equally difficult assignment against Cronulla.

Match Details

Wests Tigers 18 Newcastle Knights 24
Venue: Campbelltown Stadium
Crowd: 10963
Halftime Score: Wests Tigers 16 Newcastle Knights 12

WESTS TIGERS (18)
Tries: David Nofoaluma, Pat Richards, James Tedesco
Conversions: Pat Richards (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Pat Richards (1/1)

NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (24)
Tries: Akuila Uate, Tyrone Roberts (2), Tyler Randell
Conversions: Tyrone Roberts (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Kurt Gidley (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Tyrone Roberts
2 points - Jake Mamo
1 point - James Tedesco

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

We are underway on a sunny afternoon in Campbelltown

1: Brooks goes high as the Tigers make 60m on their first set and Mamo takes safely.

2: Roberts kick finds touch 20m out from the Tigers line. Scrum Tigers.

3: Mamo picks up he bouncing ball and works it away from his own line. Solid start from both teams completing their sets

4: Tigers penalty and they can start a set on halfway. First attacking raid for the home side

5: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by David Nofoaluma. Kick to come.
Great try from the Tigers with the ball spread out to the wing and Nofoaluma scores in the corner.

7: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
That's a brilliant conversion from Richards as the ball drifts from right to left and it sneaks in the far post

7: Farah is hit high and the Tigers will go on the attack to try and add to their lead.

8: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by Pat Richards. Kick to come.
Double trouble for the Knights with the slick ball movement from the Tigers resulting in Richards scoring in the corner.

10: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards unsuccessful.
Richards can't convert his own try.

11: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
Robbie Farah makes an unforced error.
Farah drops the ball with the Tigers attacking the Knights up the middle

12: Knights penalty with Mata'utia held down in the tackle.

12: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Akuila Uate. Kick to come.
Uate is impossible to stop from close range as he cuts inside the defence to score.

13: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyrone Roberts successful.
Roberts converts Uate's try and the Knights cut the lead back to four

14: The Tigers kick off goes out on the full dead in goal! Knights penalty on halfway.

15: UNFORCED ERROR NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Beau Scott makes an unforced error.
Brilliant chance for the Knights and Beau Scott loses the ball trying to play it quickly

16: Farah attempts a 40/20 but Mamo gets back there quickly to defuse the situation

17: Knights run it on the last down the short side and Tigers come up with it on halfway. Penalty Tigers now and they can go on the attack

19: TRY WESTS TIGERS
Scored by James Tedesco. Kick to come.
That's brilliant from Moses who reverses the play to grubber inside for Tedesco who knew what was happening and he picks it up to score. Marvellous.

20: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION WESTS TIGERS
Conversion attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Richards adds the extras and the Tigers lead is back out to 10

22: Brooks goes high and Moses almost snatches the ball off Mamo. Knock on called

23: Knights scrum with Beau Scott stripped of the ball but Brooks then knocked it forward

24: Ross has gone into score in the corner but a forward pass has been called against Mata'utia. What a huge chance missed by Newcastle.

27: Knights are trying to get back into this one but the big kicks aren't troubling Tedesco.

29: Great shot on Gidley by Seumanufagai

31: Gidley gets the penalty with Halatau staying down at the play the ball

32: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Tyrone Roberts. Kick to come.
Gidley kicks between the uprights and Sims taps It back to Roberts who plants the ball down.

33: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyrone Roberts successful.
Roberts converts from in front. Tigers lead back down to 4

37: Fantastic kick from Roberts and the bounce back fools everyone and a Knights player can't get a hand on it. 20m tap.

38: Brooks throws a long pass and Uate intercepts and runs to the halfway before Simona throws him into touch.

39: The ball ends up with Seumanufagai who runs to the in goal and is then held up by three Knights players. Beau Scott was the man to deny him. Great effort to stop the big man

39: Tedesco's kick is cleaned up by Mamo

40: That is half time at Campbelltown with the Tigers leading the Knights by 4 points in a highly entertaining first half.

40: Underway in the 2nd half

41: Mataora knocks on after Newton offloaded behind him

42: Knights penalty and they can start a set on halfway

43: Gidley's kick is caught by Brooks and he is forced back in goal. Drop out

44: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Tyler Randell. Kick to come.
Newton goes ever so close to scoring and the ball is knocked out and Randell picks up the loose ball and he dives over. Scores level

44: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyrone Roberts successful.
Roberts puts the Knights in front for the first time this afternoon

47: Tigers penalty with Richards held down by Scott

48: Tedesco has a pass knocked forward by Gagai. Tigers scrum

49: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL WESTS TIGERS
Penalty goal attempt by Pat Richards successful.
Tigers get a penalty and opt for the penalty goal from in front. Scores are level once again.

51: Buchanan knocks on. Knights scrum on the attacking 40m line.

52: Sims knocks on Roberts short ball. If he hang onto it he was going to score

54: Tedesco is tackled in goal as he catches a high ball. Knights drop out

56: Knights penalty with Brooks offside

56: Mamo kicks on the 2nd tackle and Simona taps it dead.

58: What a terrible miss from Newcastle with Sims through the line and he drops the ball over the try line.

59: Tigers penalty and Farah takes the quick tap.

60: Ross has lost Moses kick forward. Tigers will have the scrum

61: NO TRY! Nofoaluma catches Brooks kick ahead of Ross and has put the ball down on the dead in goal sideline.

62: Sims is tackled on the last well by Moses.

63: UNFORCED ERROR WESTS TIGERS
David Nofoaluma makes an unforced error.
Nofoaluma loses the ball as he tries to pass

64: Gidley's kick is played at and its six more tackles with Knights close to the line

65: Sims is held up by the Tigers defence. Penalty Knights though with Lovett not square at marker.

66: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Penalty goal attempt by Kurt Gidley successful.
Gidley puts the Knights back in front

67: Uate taps back a kick and Smith is then held up again over the line. Tigers not giving up any easy tries today.

69: Lovett takes the ball and the Tigers survive. Great defence from the home side

70: Roberts knocks down a pass from Nofoaluma. Tigers scrum

71: Simona's pass goes into touch and the Knights defence stays strong.

73: Knights have forced a knock on from Farah and they can start a set 30m out from the line. They can seal the win here with a try.

74: Moses takes a kick then passes for Tedesco who slips but makes it to the 20m line. Great defence from the Tigers again.

76: Mamo takes an attempted chip from Brooks and the Knights are hanging onto their two point lead.

76: Lovett somehow hangs onto a low ball and then knocks on in the tackle. Scott has then lost the ball short of the try line. So many near misses for the away team

78: Richards is stripped of the ball by Gagai on the last and the Knights look to have now wrapped up this one.

79: TRY NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Scored by Tyrone Roberts. Kick to come.
Roberts runs himself on the last and twists his way over the line to plant the ball down. Finally the Knights consolidate their lead they will win this one.

80: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS
Conversion attempt by Tyrone Roberts unsuccessful.
Roberts misses to the left of the posts

80: Full time at Campbelltown with the Newcastle Knights grabbing a much needed 24-18 win over the Wests Tigers