The Newcastle Knights have staged a stirring second-half comeback to keep their season alive with a 24-16 triumph against Canberra in Wagga on Saturday.
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Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga inspired the revival by scoring a try and creating a couple of others as the Knights scored their fourth win in nine games this season to climb into the top eight, pending other results this weekend.
The Raiders dominated possession and field position to lead 16-0 at half-time.
Two early penalty goals from halfback George Williams gave Canberra early impetus, but the Knights appeared to have posted the first try when Ponga turned Emari Tuala inside in the 28thth minute, and he crashed over.
The video-referee bunker, however, detected an obstruction from Knights forward Tyson Frizell and ruled no try.
Canberra made Newcastle pay four minutes later, when ex-Knight Joseph Tapine scored after a Jordan Rapana short ball.
Two minutes before half-time, Ponga dropped a high kick cold, and from the scrum win Raiders winger Bailey Simonsson dived over in the left-hand corner.
Newcastle appeared down for the count at half-time, but a 42nd-minute try by halfback Phoenix Crossland turned the contest.
In the 60th minute, Ponga brought the Knights back in striking distance by dummying to score, then six minutes later Frizell stepped his way over to put Newcastle in the lead.
A 78th-minute try from co-captain Jayden Brailey, after a Ponga offload, capped one of the best comeback wins in Newcastle's history.
The only sour note for the Knights was a rib injury that forced young winger Brayden Musgrove out of the game late in the second half.
