The nib Newcastle Knights have gone down in heartbreaking fashion, defeated 20-18 by the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium on Sunday.
After the Knights took the lead with 10 to play, a late Hudson Young try put the Raiders back in front with a minute running on the clock.
After an improved display in the second half, the Knights couldn't come away with the two points.
The Raiders drew first blood with Nick Cotric making his way to the line in the corner.
Canberra doubled their advantage only eight minutes later when Matthew Timoko burst through the line.
Battling illness, Captain Kalyn Ponga was soldiering on and saved a certain try, with help from the post.
Although, the Raiders would post their third try with Xavier Savage leaping high to claim the ball and extend the home side's lead inside the opening half an hour.
Needing a spark and try to get back into the contest, the Knights found good field position on the stroke of half-time.
Ponga drifted across field and found Kurt Mann, who dived over next to the posts.
Mann scores relieving try for Knights
The Raiders would take a 14-6 lead into the change of ends.
The match was an intriguing battle after the first half.
Both teams battled for ascendancy before the match sprung into life.
Elliot Whitehead was sent to the sin-bin on the 55th minute mark and the Knights were on the attack with a man advantage.
From the ensuing set, it was Mat Croker who was on the spot to get the Knights back into the game.
The forward chased down a well-weighted Ponga kick to score his first try in the NRL.
Croker flips the momentum
Only ten minutes later, Newcastle took the lead for the first time in the game with Edrick Lee in the right place at the right time.
Adam Clune made a pivotal line-break and found the winger backing up, and Lee made no mistake in the corner.
Clune and Lee combine to shock the Raiders
Heading into the final ten minutes, the Knights looked to keep their slim lead.
However, the Raiders would strike just before the end of time to steal the two points with the Young try.
The Knights will rest up with the bye over the next week with representative round.
