The Hand of Cott

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North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights

The Cowboys have staged a come-from-behind victory to advance to the second week of the finals, with a last gasp victory over the Knights.

Despite the Knights dominating the match in all aspects early on, it was the Cowboys who scored first, entirely against the run of play, in the 14th minute. Kalyn Ponga bounced out of three tackles on the left side, passed to Dylan Lucas who then attempted to link with his winger, however Kyle Feldt took a clean intercept and raced 85 metres to score. Valentine Holmes failed to convert from touch.

10 minutes later, the Knights replied when that man again Ponga, slipped through the Cowboys defence after a lovely show-and-go, then linked with Jayden Brailey on the inside and the Knights rake ran 20 metres to score. Ponga converted.

Fletcher Sharpe crossed in the 33rd minute when a Ponga kick was not cleaned up by anyone in the contest, Sharpe swooped in and cleaned up the loose ball near the Cowboys line and he walked in to score. Ponga converted again to give the Knights a 12-4 lead at the break.

The Cowboys scored just 4 minutes after play resumed when Holmes batted along a long ball to the unmarked Murray Taulagi, who dived to score in the corner. Holmes converted.

The Cowboys regained the lead in the 51st minute when Scott Drinkwater lobbed a lovely ball to his lead runner Jordan McLean, allowing the front rower to waltz in for an easy try. Holmes converted.

In the 65th minute, Lucas received the ball 10 metres from the Cowboys line, whose defence was scattered. He shaped to pass left, stepped back and straightened then barged over between two defenders to score. Ponga's conversion attempt hit the post and was waved away, leaving the scores tied at 16 apiece.

In the 72nd minute, the Cowboys put up a kick to the Knights corner. Feldt knocked it back, the ball bounced off Heilum Luki's leg, then ever so narrowly evaded Daniel Saifiti's hand, bounced off Reuben Cotter's knee, dribbled into the Knights in-goal. Ponga and Cotter raced to get to the ball and almost got to it simultaneously, but it was Cotter who planted his hand on it first for the try. Holmes converted.

Leo Thompson was sin binned 150 seconds from full time for a lazy high shot on Feldt, that looked bad. The Cowboys marched downfield from the penalty and on the last, Tom Dearden shrugged out of two weak tackle efforts to score. Holmes converted to give the Cowboys a 28-16 victory.