The Knights opened the scoring at EnergyAustralia Stadium to lead 6-0 after two minutes but were soon on the back foot.

Jonathan Thurston cut Newcastle to pieces in the first half scoring two tries himself and having a hand in two more to Anthony Watts and Willie Tonga.

The live-wire half-back kicked three from four to put the Cowboys a head 22-8 at half time.

The crowd was still hopeful of a Knights’ victory when hooker Isaac De Gois cut through the Cowboys defence to send Adam MacDougall over for the first try of the half and skipper Kurt Gidley kicked the conversion to trail 22-14.

The stage was set for a second half thriller soon after when man-of the-match Jarrod Mullen put Chris Houston over for another try and Gidley converted.

Mullen then did it all himself when he ran 75 metres to score.

Gidley converted to put the Knights in front 26-22 after 62 minutes.

De Gois cut the Cowboys’ defence to shreds for most of the second half with incisive runs from dummy half.

He kept the visitors on the back foot until Wes Naiquama crossed to stretch Newcastle’s lead to 32-22 with 10 minutes remaining.

A final-minute consolation try to the Cowboys was the only other points added.

Newcastle travels to Canberra this weekend for Monday night football against the raiders.

The Knights then host the Panthers on Fathers Day, Sunday September 6, for the final round of the competition.