Match Centre

Newcastle 20 - Penrith 12. Full Match Report to come...

The Knights have caused a major upset! The Panthers' top four hopes are in big trouble. Newcastle will avoid the wooden spoon with a 20-12 victory.

Sio's conversion will win it for Newcastle.

Penrith are on track to record another loss in their final home match of the season. In the past 10 years they have won just 3 times in their last home match.

Kalyn Ponga finds the sideline.

Newcastle will get the penalty.

Two players from both teams are going to the sin bin.

FISTS ARE FLYING!!!

THERE'S A STINK ON!

Viliame Kikau puts a kick in and the Knights are less than 5 minutes away from a major upset!

Penrith inside the Knights half.

Mitchell Pearce boots the ball out on the full.

Viliame Kikau can't get out of the in-goal and the Knights will get a repeat set.

Luke Yates has dislodged the ball from Tyrone Peachey. The Knights will have a scrum 15 metres out from the Panthers line.

The Knights force an error!

If Sio can land this kick the Knights should be home. Should be...

A beautiful pass from Mitchell Pearce to set up the try for Sio.

Ken Sio is claiming a try.

Ponga makes a darting run.

Ken Sio catches the ball in-goal for a seven tackle set.

Another quality kick from Mitchell Pearce.

On effort alone the Knights are the more deserving team today, but with 13 minutes to play the Panthers are just warming up based on recent performances.

Corey Harawira-Naera loses possession and the Knights hold on.

Another penalty to Penrith 10 metres out from the Knights' line.

Penalty to Penrith.

Ponga can't regather his own kick. Penrith to regain possession from a scrum.

Fitzgibbon is tackled in a try-saver.

Newcastle to feed a scrum 20 metres out from the Panthers try line.

If Newcastle can score in the next set, they will fancy their chances of winning this game.

Penalty to Newcastle.

Ken Sio makes a vital tackle on Dean Whare to force a turnover.

With 20 minutes to play the Panthers will fancy their chances of coming up points.

Trent Merrin and Reagan Campbell-Gillard preparing to come back on.

Pearce finds the touchline 20 metres out from the Panthers' goal line.

Kaide Ellis takes his first run of the afternoon.

Both teams are lacking finesse at the moment.

Jamie Buhrer is on for the Knights.

Waqa Blake goes within an inch of scoring.

Wayde Egan is on for the Panthers.

Penrith earn a penalty.

Ponga chips for Ken Sio, but the winger can't regain possession.

Kalyn Ponga loses possession in his own in-goal, but Ben Cummins rules the Panthers to be inside the 10. Penalty to Newcastle.

Penrith get a penalty in front of the posts.

First points are set to be vital in the second half for both teams.

Danny Levi loses possession inside his own half.

The Knights hold off a Penrith attacking raid.

Penrith have made a concerted effort with their ball handling after halftime and look dangerous as a result.

Penrith earn six again after a ricochet from Cleary's clearing kick.

Nick Meaney is unable to hold onto possession.

Newcastle come up with possession inside the Panthers' half.

Nicholas Meaney is on the spot to clean up a Cleary chip.

Cory Denniss cleans up a Nathan Cleary grubber, but the Newcastle centre is unable to hold onto possession.

Viliame Kikau is brought down close to the line.

Nicholas Meaney makes a nice catch, but Penrith earn a penalty after Kalyn Ponga is deemed to have impeded a Penrith chaser.

Ken Sio gets the second half underway.

The Knights have capitalised upon a wealth of opportunities provided by an atrocious completion rate from the Panthers, but will the home side produce another comeback? Find out in the next 40 minutes...

Nicholas Meaney is collected as the halftime siren sounds.

The Panthers are looking dangerous when they can hold onto possession.

Mitchell Pearce bats the ball dead. Play to resume with a line drop out.

Big contact from Mitchell Barnett on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.

Tyrone Peachey is collected in a strong chase from Kalyn Ponga.

Waqa Blake comes up with an error, but the Knights defence deserves credit for holding out the Panthers.

Another penalty to Penrith.

Penrith earn a penalty inside the Knights' half.

With his first touch of the game Pasami Saulo loses possession.

Penrith may go on to win this game, but based on their first half there will need to be a drastic reversal in form.

Surprise, Surprise - the Panthers have come up with another error.

Penrith earn a penalty inside their own half.

Mitchell Pearce finds touch to give the Knights a rest following points.

Corey Harawira-Naera loses the ball inside his own half.

In an identical situation to the match-winning try the Panthers scored against Manly, the opposing fullback loses possession close to his own try line, only for a Penrith player to swoop.

Tyrone May is claiming a try.

Kalyn Ponga loses possession 10 metres out from the Panthers try line.

Penrith lose possession again.

Opting to run the ball on the last, the Knights are unable to capitalise.

Penrith lose possession inside their own half and invite the Knights to attack once again.

Danny Levi makes a nice dart inside the Panthers half.

Newcastle will start a set inside the Panthers half after being awarded another penalty.

Nathan Cleary hoists the ball in the air, but Nick Meaney is up to the challenge.

Mitchell Pearce finds the sideline 20 metres out from the Panthers tryline.

Newcastle earn a penalty in front of the posts.

In an effort to spread the ball wide, the Panthers lose possession inside their own half.

Good pressure from Cory Denniss forces a turnover inside the Knight's half.

Dallin Watene-Zelezniak makes a tremendous catch and earns a penalty to boot.

Lachlan Fitzgibbon is collected by Dean Whare on the last and Penrith regain possession 10 metres out.

Penrith lose possession in the play the ball and provide the Knights with another attacking chance.

Penrith get their first penalty of the afternoon.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall strolls over to open the scoring, but the final pass from Sione Mata'utia is deemed forward.

Kalyn Ponga met in a heavy tackle by Corey Harawira-Naera.

Newcastle earn another penalty on halfway.

Nicholas Meaney makes a tremendous catch and earns a penalty for the Panthers being inside the 10.

Mitchell Pearce drives a kick downfield to Tyrone Peachey.

Nathan Cleary kicks off and Herman Ese'ese takes the first carry of the afternoon.

A number of former club legends greet the Panthers onto the field for their final home appearance of 2018.

Mitchell Pearce leads the Knights onto Panthers Stadium.

In an effort to lessen the burden on prodigious talent Kalyn Ponga, the dynamic number one has been shifted to five-eighth, with Nick Meaney coming into the side at fullback. In the only other changes, Luke Yates and Josh King have been preferred of Chris Heighington and JJ Felise on the bench.

Making minimal changes from the team named on Tuesday afternoon, James Fisher-Harris is out for the Panthers with Kaide Ellis coming onto the bench. In a minor reshuffle, Trent Merrin will start ahead of James Tamou, while Corey Harawira-Naera has been named in the second row despite wearing jersey 16.

The Knights will be looking to end a run of three straight losses with their first win at the foot of the mountains since 2013, while securing their first win over a top eight side since April.

The Panthers come into today’s fixture off the back of three consecutive last-gasp victories, including a golden point escape over the Titans last Saturday. Sitting in fourth position on 30 points, the Panthers will move into a temporary share of the competition lead with a win, while a loss could see the side finish the weekend as low as seventh depending on other results.

Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of Round 23 Saturday afternoon football between the Penrith Panthers and Newcastle Knights at Panthers Stadium.