NRL: Knights pip Eels to end drought

Akuila Uate of the Knights celebrates a Knights win. Photo / Getty Images

Knights 8
Eels 6

Newcastle ended a run of successive NRL defeats holding off a fast-finishing Parramatta 8-6 in an error-strewn encounter at Ausgrid Stadium on Saturday.

However, the win came at a cost for the Knights with Jarrod Mullen almost certain to be sidelined for the rest of the season after tearing his left pectoral muscle late in the first half.

In a game played in wet conditions, both sides were guilty of some poor handling with the Eels in particular coughing up possession at times with alarming ease.

Wes Naiqama opened the scoring after 27 minutes, darting over from close range in the right corner after the Knights took advantage of a penalty conceded by Ryan Morgan deep inside his own half for an incorrect play-the-ball.

It was just reward for the hosts, who had enjoyed most of the possession in the opening stanza, only to be repelled by some stoic defending from the Eels, with Jarryd Hayne producing a superb diving tackle to force Akuila Uate into touch, just as he looked certain to score.

The visitors thought they had restored parity seven minutes before the interval when Jeff Robson looked to have scored, only for the try to be ruled out for a forward pass against Casey McGuire.

Although that decision went in the Knights' favour, it was a bittersweet moment for Rick Stone's side, after Mullen departed the field clutching his chest after wrestling Robson to the ground.

The start of the second half followed a similar pattern to the first, with neither side able to assert their dominance and referees Brett Suttor and Gavin Badger more than happy to keep blowing their whistles.

A Kurt Gidley penalty extended the home side's lead, but Parramatta produced their best spell of pressure for the game midway through the second half and were rewarded with a try when McGuire touched down on the hour mark after Robson's kick bounced off the hands of Gidley and into his path.

Luke Burt's conversion cut the deficit to two points, but almost immediately the Eels lost the momentum when Hayne inexplicably dropped the kick-off right in front of his own posts.

The visitors managed to hold out the Knights once again and with time running out they laid siege to the hosts' line and looked to have won the game three minutes from time when Chris Walker appeared to have touched down Hayne's inch-perfect grubber.

However, replays showed the veteran centre failed to get downward pressure on the ball and the Knights held on for a gutsy win to remain in ninth spot on the ladder and hand the club their first win since the Nathan Tinkler takeover.

NEWCASTLE 8 (W Naiqama try K Gidley 2 goals) bt PARRAMATTA 6 (C McGuire try L Burt goal) at Ausgrid Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Brett Suttor. Crowd: 18,723.

- AAP