NRL: Roosters nab first win in six weeks

Anthony Minichiello and Todd Carney of the Roosters celebrate a try. Photo / Getty Images

Newcastle centre Wes Naiqama missed a conversion to send the game to extra time as the Sydney Roosters held on for their first win in six weeks with a 12-10 victory at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.

The Knights recovered from 12-0 down to almost force golden point, Naiqama's kick shaving the left hand upright five minutes from time. Debutant Peter Mata'utia had reeled in a Jarrod Mullen bomb to give the visitors some late hope.

It was a game the Roosters should never have been in position to lose, having looked home after Anthony Minichiello had equalled Bill Mullins' club record 104 tries for the tri-colours when he stormed onto a delicate Todd Carney inside ball after 51 minutes.

While a long way from their best, Carney and halves partner Braith Anasta had done their best to get the confidence-sapped Roosters over the line. Anasta had engineered the only points of the first half with a short side play to set up Shaun Kenny-Dowall.

Carney looked full of running after sending Minichiello over as the Roosters forwards finally began to rumble forward but, when presented with the chance to ice the game, the home side struggled to come up with adequate finishes to their sets deep in Newcastle territory.

The Knights made them pay as they closed to within a converted try, with more than a quarter of the game to go.

Sensing the Roosters outside backs had not come up in defence, Jarrod Mullen spread the ball quickly to the right, Keith Lulia fending off Carney his side of halfway, before finding McDonnell in support to get the Knights on the board.

They would have been level just three minutes later if not for the desperation of Anasta, after McDonnell beat Minichiello to a Beau Henry bomb, only for the Roosters skipper to fling out an arm and grab hold of the Knights fullback two metres short of the line.

Anasta's shot at field goal sailed wide eight minutes from time, but there were no more heroics from the Knights as they coughed up possession with their last throw of the dice.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 12 (S Kenny-Dowall A Minichiello tries B Anasta 2 goals) bt NEWCASTLE 10 (P Mata'utia S McDonnell tries W Naiqama goal) at Sydney Football Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Adam Devcich.

- AAP