THE Newcastle Knights lost their sixth straight game on the weekend, slipping further down the NRL ladder.
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Newcastle lost to the Wests Tigers 23-20 on Sunday before a 22,173-strong crowd who joined them in saluting NSW Mining.
The Knights led 16-14 midway through the second half, but lost skipper Kurt Gidley to the sin bin.
Even after a penalty goal, a field goal and a converted try – in only five minutes – the home side fell agonisingly short.
Knights flyer Akuila Uate scored a hat-trick and broke the club try scoring record, but it was in vain.
The result left the Knights in 15th place after two wins from 12 rounds.
Only once in Newcastle’s history – the disastrous 2005 campaign that yielded the wooden spoon – have they been so poorly placed halfway through a season.