The Melbourne Storm have come from 14 points down to register a hard-fought 20-14 win over the Newcastle Knights in their Round 2 NRL clash at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Saturday night.
Newcastle started brightly in front of a healthy home crowd of 16,242, racing in tries to Akuila Uate and Adam MacDougall and a penalty goal to Wes Naiqama to skip out to a 14-0 lead after just 21 minutes.
But the Storm controlled the rest of the first half with tries to wingers Luke MacDougall and Anthony Quinn and a penalty goal to Cameron Smith seeing them trail 14-12 at half-time.
Newcastle blew a mountain of possession and territorial advantage in the second half and the Storm took advantage to hit back against the run of play with a try to Dane Nielsen 11 minutes from full-time to snatch the win.
The Knights opened the scoring in the seventh minute of the match after they spread the ball wide from a scrum just 10 metres out from their own line to put Uate in space down the right wing. He sprinted 70 metres downfield before being reeled in by the Storm defence.
Newcastle worked the attack towards the posts before switching the play right where halfback Scott Dureau threw a double cutout pass to put Uate over in the right corner. Naiqama slotted the conversion from the sideline to give the hosts a 6-0 lead.
Newcastle pushed its lead out to 8-0 just four minutes later when Naiqama kicked a penalty goal from close range after Melbourne five-eighth Brett Finch was penalised for an infringement at marker.
Veteran centre MacDougall went in for the Knights' second try in the 21st minute, again exposing Storm’s defensive capabilities on their left wing.
Newcastle was gifted the ball in good field position when Melbourne reserve forward Hep Cahill spilt the ball with his first carry just 30 metres out from his own line. The Knights worked the play towards the line before Jarrod Mullen floated an excellent overhead pass for MacDougall to cross over untouched out wide. Naiqama slotted the conversion from near the sideline to make it 14-0.
Melbourne hit back five minutes later when Luke MacDougall, the younger brother of Adam, crossed over in the opposite corner. Finch moved the ball wide to fullback Billy Slater who looked to take on the line before throwing a looping pass for an unmarked MacDougall to dive over in the corner. Cameron Smith swung his conversion attempt wide to leave the score 14-4 to the Knights.
With the Storm holding momentum and on the attack they grabbed their second try just six minutes before half-time when Smith, playing in the halfback role, threw a beautiful cut-out pass for former Knight Anthony Quinn to dive over in the left corner. Smith threaded a great conversion from the sideline to make it 14-10.
Melbourne went on the attack again in the dying minutes of the half only to see Dureau pinged for not lining up square at marker as the Knights desperately defended their line. Smith gratefully accepted the penalty to guide the ball between the posts to make it 14-12 at the break.
Newcastle started the second half poorly coughing up the ball inside the half in two consecutive sets of six before giving away a penalty just 20 out from their own line. But they