Dragons hold on
08/28/2010 10:20:05 AM
make it 22-6.
The Knights were in again just three minutes later when Jarrod Mullen put a crossfield kick for Vuna to mark the ball above Nightingale and touch down for a try. Gidley again converted from the sideline to make it 22-12.
The home side grabbed another try when a Mullen crossfield banana kick fell perfectly for Vuna, who planted the ball down for his second try of the night. Gidley slotted the conversion from out wide to make it a four-point ball game 22-18.
Newcastle applied all the pressure in the final 15 minutes but the Dragons produced some desperate goal-line defence and when Darius Boyd sprinted into a gap in the middle of the park he found Soward in support and the playmaker dived over for the match-winner.
Soward missed the conversion but it was enough for the Dragons to pick up the two points and seal the minor premiership.
Newcastle Knights 18
Tries: Vuna 2, MacDougall
Goals: Gidley 3/3
St George Illawarra Dragons 26
Tries: Morris, Young, Nightingale, Creagh, Soward
Goals: Soward 3/5
Crowd 23, 148 at EnergyAustralia Stadium.