Knights leave it late against Tigers

Round 10
Wests Tigers 16 v Newcastle Knights 18
at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Referee: Sean Hampstead

Match Summary:
A 77th minute try to Irishman Brian Carney has given the Newcastle Knights an exciting 18-16 win over the Wests Tigers at Campbelltown this afternoon.

The Knights opened the scoring with an 11th minute try to fullback David Seage following an Andrew Johns break. Four minutes later the Tigers responded with a great try to Daniel Fitzhenry that went unconverted. Steve Simpson scored off an inside ball after 28 minutes to give the Knights a 12-4 buffer. Not long before half time the Tigers scored a great team try the concluded with Shane Elford dotting down in the corner, and the try was converted from the sideline to cut the Knights lead to 12-10 at the break.

Attack was limited in the second half ? an Andrew Johns after 58 minutes looked like being the only scoring in the half. On the 72nd minute the Tigers hit the front 16-14 following another long range team try, this time scored by Chris Heighington under the posts. But the 14,499 crowds hopes of a Tigers victory were dashed in the 77th minute when Brian Carney chipped for himself, and Brett Hodgson made a rare mistake, allowing Carney to kick through and score in the corner for the win.

The Tigers can feel like the lost a match they shouldn't have won anyway, looking beaten with 10 minutes to go, only to take a lead briefly before the Knights snatched it back.

Scorers:
Wests Tigers: 16
Tries: Shane Elford, Daniel Fitzhenry, Chris Heighington
Goals: Brett Hodgson 2/3
Newcastle Knights: 18
Tries: David Seage, Steve Simpson, Brian Carney
Goals: Andrew Johns 3/4

Crowd: 14,499
Half time: Knights 12-10

By the Clock:
Counting down to kickoff at Campbelltown Sports Stadium today - the clash between the Knights and the Tigers. It's the battle of the '05 Premiers vs the '05 Wooden Spooners. Plenty of points in the offing today with two strong attacks and two less than stunning defences. Nice afternoon in Sydney on Mothers day.

Both teams taking to the field now. The Knights are 1-17, while Galea is out for the Tigers and Galloway is in.

1 min: Andrew Johns kicks off!

10 min: The Tigers are making plenty of inroads when the spread the ball wide. Good scrambling defence saves the Knights.

11 min: TRY Newcastle Knights
Johns breaks the line through some feeble tackles, Seage is in support on his right and Seage scores by the posts. Johns converts.
Knights 6-0

15 min: TRY Wests Tigers
The Tigers pass the ball out wide, attract an overlap and Lolesi darts down the touchline before throwing the ball inside to Fitzhenry who scores. Hodgson misses the conversion.
Knights 6-4

23 min: Fitzhenry spills a kick into touch just a metre away from the Tigers goal line. Andrew Johns knocks on at the scrum base.

28 min: TRY Newcastle Knights
Johns throws an inside ball to Steve Simpson who barges over from 5 metres out. Johns converts.
Knights 12-4

32 min: Very end to end, open attacking football. A few errors creeping in though.

34 min: The Tigers go on attack, they catch and pass down the line and look certainties to score only to have Anthony Quinn come up with an intercept.

37 min: Tigers score a line drop out.

38 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Following the line drop out, play drifts across field to Marshall who runs into an open space, and he contines across field before passing to Elford who scores out wide. Hodgson slots the touchline conversion.
Knights 12-10

40 min: The Tigers bust out and play rolls downfield, the ball goes to Elford who is taken into the corner post by Carney and Gidley.

40 min: End of a frenetic half of football.

The Tigers have a 51/49 possession advantage. They have completed 16/19 sets to the Knights 11/16. Both teams have missed heaps of tackles, 21 for the Tigers and 32 for the Knights, while having made a similar number of tackles. Both teams have already made over 700 metres, Tigers with 10 offloads to the Knights 4, and the Knights have made 5 errors to the Tigers 4.

40 min: Teams returning to the field now.

40 min: Tigers get the second half underway!

48 min: After some very open football from both teams, the Knights pick up a line drop out.

50 min: The Knights are getting hammered 6-1 in the penalty count.

51 min: 6-2 now as Lolesi is penalised for obstruction, then 6-3 for a strip.

55 min: A promising move for the Tigers comes to nothing as Collis loses the ball over the line.

58 min: PENALTY GOAL Newcastle Knights
The Tigers are penalised in possession for not standing up to play the ball. Johns lands the goal.
Knights 14-10

59 min: The Knights are looking a bit lost at the moment.

64 min: The Tigers are throwing everything at the Knights but are unable to come up with points.

66 min: Both teams are looking quite tired and are struggling in attack, compared to the first half.

71 min: CROWD - 14,499

72 min: TRY Wests Tigers
Marshall runs across field, offloads to a winger who finds Heighington who scores under the posts. Hodgson converts.
Tigers 16-14

75 min: Johns puts a bomb up, Hodgson comes down with it in traffic five metres out from his own line.

77 min: VIDEO REF for a Knights try!

77 min: TRY Newcastle Knights
Carney breaks down the sideline, he chips over the top for himself, Hodgson fumbles and Carney kicks ahead off the ground and he dives on the ball to score in the corner. Johns sprays the conversion.
Knights 18-16

80 min: NEWS The Tigers can't make anything of their final set, and the Knights win a thrilling match.
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Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 - Steve Simpson (Knights)
2 - Craig Smith (Knights)
1 - Benji Marshall (Tigers)
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