Cowboys win ugly in Golden Point

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North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights

The Cowboys had one of their most ill-disciplined and sloppiest first halves of footy in some time yet somehow managed to score a win over the Knights in Golden Point.

The first half was riddled with Cowboys errors, silly penalties from sloppy play, Chad Townsend failing to find touch not once, but twice from penalty kicks, Valentine Holmes dropping the ball cold twice and missing a penalty goal from almost in front. Meanwhile the Knights dominated field position but their execution on the last tackle was timid and ineffective, an issue that they struggled to overcome in the second half.

In the 13th minute the Cowboys were awarded a penalty and Valentine Holmes missed the regulation goal. Five minutes later and the Knights were on the attack when Adam Elliott broke out of a tackle, fended off a cover defender and then raced 25 metres to score a strong solo try. Kalyn Ponga converted.

Tyson Frizell was held up over the line in the 26th minute and Tom Dearden was ruled offside, denying him a try in the 31st minute, but the Knights finally scored just shy of halftime when Jack Hetherington at acting dummy half and right on the Cowboys line, dished a stunning short, flat ball to Elliott who hit a gap and scored his second try. Ponga converted from in front.

Jackson Hastings attempted to kick a 2 point field goal right on the stroke of halftime, but he was unsuccessful. At the break the Knights held a 12-0 lead.

The first 5 minutes of the second half saw a completely different Cowboys side take to the field. In the 42nd minute a Cowboys bomb was dropped by Greg Marzhew, picked up by Kyle Feldt who quickly passed it out to Chad Townsend who scored untouched in the corner. Holmes nailed the sideline conversion.

The Cowboys crossed again just 3 minutes later when Scott Drinkwater floated a beautiful cut-out pass over the top to Feldt who scored in the corner. Holmes failed to convert from the sideline.

The Knights got control of the game back in the 50th minute when a kick close to the Cowboys line by Elliott ricocheted up into the waiting arms of Hastings, who then delicately dribbled a grubber to the left wing where Marzhew cleanly regathered and scored in the corner. Ponga's sideline conversion was perfect and gave the Knights an 8 point lead.

The Knights received a penalty 4 minutes later deep inside the Cowboys half and Ponga kicked a penalty goal to increase their lead to 10.

On the hour mark, the Cowboys kept themselves in the contest when Tom Dearden scored a classic bullocking front rowers try and Holmes converted.

With less than 5 minutes left in the game, Townsend put in a lovely grubber which Jeremiah Nanai cleaned up and scored with no Knights players in sight. Holmes from the easy angle failed to convert, leaving the scores tied with 2 minutes remaining.

Holmes had a shot at a 2 point field goal from 45 metres out. He struck it perfectly but it sailed just wide and at full time the scores were 20 all.

The Cowboys opened Golden Point with a strong defensive set and then followed up by making huge metres before Townsend slotted the match-winning field goal in the 82nd minute