Knights 22
Junior Warriors 16
The Warriors juniors showed they possess good mettle as they fought bravely to come back from a 20-6 deficit to their Knights opposites just after half-time in the curtainraiser to the NRL game in Newcastle yesterday.
But the late surge was not enough, the hosts scraping home with a six-point margin, their tryline under repeated threat.
The home team were tiring badly at the end of the match and welcomed the 80-minute hooter. The Warriors were twice denied when players were taken over the touchline centimetres short of scoring during the closing stages.
At fullback, Peter Mills proved a useful replacement for the injured Kevin Locke, scoring from a set move mid-second half to revive the Warriors' chances after the Knights had scored just before half-time and again just after the break.
The centre Siuatonga Likiliki was next across the line for his fourth try in five games so far.
But it was poor defending - particularly a series of early missed tackles - that cost the Auckland side. Had they started the match faster and with more accuracy they would likely have won as they were clearly the team with gas in the tank at the end.
Star for the Knights was fullback Peter Mata'utia from Rockhampton, who was a junior State of Origin and Australian Schoolboys representative.
* Veteran fullback Luke Patten says the Bulldogs are ready to finally click again ahead of tonight's NRL blockbuster with ladder leaders and ANZ Stadium co-tenants South Sydney. Both sides have started 2009 in fine form with three wins from four games.
Patten said the Bulldogs hadn't hit full stride since their round one upset of Manly. He said the time was right for them to regain the form to threaten early bolters South Sydney.
"It was tough after that round one win over Manly, everything clicked that night and it's been a little bit patchy for us since," said Patten. "We're definitely working hard on it and [coach Kevin Moore] has always said it would probably take us six weeks to gel and I would like to think we're getting there."
- ADDITIONAL REPORTING: AAP
