NRL LIVE updates: Penalties give Knights slim lead over Dragons after tight first half

Some more enterprising play from the Dragons here – something that was pretty much absent from the first two months of the season – as Tyrell Sloan weaves across field then they put the ball through the hands down the right for Mathew Feagai to find some space.

With the Knights defence backwheeling Kyle Flanagan puts up a dangerous bomb between the goalposts, and Josh Kerr leaps well for it but can’t bring it down cleanly.

Knights 16, Dragons 12 with 30 minutes left

We’ve got 40 minutes left in this one as the Dragons kick off the second half, the Knights ending their first set after the break with Dylan Brown blasting his last-tackle kick too long and over the dead-ball line for a seven-tackle set.

But that St George Illawarra set peters out when Valentine Holmes is ruled to have knocked on (the Dragons use a captain’s challenge on that decision, but the verdict from the bunker is inconclusive). The Knights go down the other end and bomb towards Bradman Best, who brings it down but is tackled a metre short of the tryline.

Knights 16, Dragons 12 with 35 minutes left

In the final minute of the half the Knights try another right-side shift inside their own half and it almost works again, Dane Gagai getting between a couple of defenders and putting Dom Young into space, Young finds Dylan Brown inside, and Brown passes to Phoenix Crossland who gets to within a metre of the Dragons line before being tackled by Damien Cook.

Fletcher Sharpe tries to dive over from dummy-half to complete a first-half hat-trick, doesn’t make it to the tryline, but Cook is offside lying in the ruck.

The Knights take another penalty goal, but this is very much anyone’s game at half-time.

Knights 16, Dragons 12 at half-time

A Knights bomb is allowed to bounce then spilled by Clint Gutherson, leading to a scrum on the Dragons’ 20-metre line. St George Illawarra break early and are offside from the scrum, Newcastle get a penalty, and the home side opts to take the two points.

Sandon Smith slots the penalty goal from right in front and the hosts have halted the Dragons’ momentum and reclaimed the lead.

Knights 14, Dragons 12 after 38 minutes

Kyle Flanagan is having a great little period here, and he’s set up another Dragons try. The halfback spots Newcastle fullback Fletcher Sharpe up in the defensive line so he chips a kick over the top and into the path of winger Tyrell Sloan, and St George Illawarra’s quickest player bursts past Dominic Young to get to the ball first and touch down.

That’s a quality try for the Dragons, and Val Holmes follows it up with a sideline conversion that’s just as good. We’re all square with half-time just a few minutes away.

Knights 12, Dragons 12 after 33 minutes

Two of the most critiqued members of the Dragons backline this season combine for their team’s first points, Kyle Flanagan rolling in a lovely grubber kick for the chasing Valentine Holmes.

It comes after two penalties and a set restart against Newcastle – Greg Marzhew, Mat Croker and Trey Mooney the culprits – and gets St George Illawarra right back into this contest.

Knights 12, Dragons 6 after 25 minutes

Two more bombs from the Knights put the Dragons under pressure – Dom Young drops the first in the Dragons’ in-goal, and Clint Gutherson soars to bring down the second – but the visitors are at least starting to get into the kind of grind that suits them.

But then the Knights split them down the right again, a Jacob Saifiti offload catching the defence on the hop and Dane Gagai putting Dom Young into space down the right.

Young throws a wild offload infield but a Dragons defender deflects it over the sideline. Newcastle get another set, then earn a six-again, but a forward pass from Phoenix Crossland takes the pressure off.

Knights 12, Dragons 0 after 23 minutes

Newcastle have been among the best in the NRL at producing long-range tries this season, and started with another one tonight.

Some nice signs now from the Dragons, who get into the Knights’ half before Damien Cook senses a chance and goes for it. The veteran hooker darts out of dummy-half from the 20-metre line, gets to the 10 and grubbers ahead, but the kick is just too deep for the chasing Daniel Atkinson, who gets a hand to the ball as it goes over the dead-ball line.

Knights 12, Dragons 0 after 14 minutes