MITCHELL Pearce's 300th NRL game ended in anti-climax when the Knights suffered an upset 24-20 loss to Wests Tigers at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
Pearce appeared to have inspired a great escape with a second-half try to get Newcastle back into the contest and ignite the 20,239-strong crowd.
But facing a 20-18 deficit, the Tigers conjured up a 73rd-minute try for winger David Nofoaluma and defended grimly until full-time.
It was hard to deny the visitors deserved the two competition points after outplaying and out-enthusing a depleted Newcastle team.
The Knights trailed 12-8 at half-time after an error-riddled opening stanza.
The Tigers enjoyed a glut of early possession and eventually Newcastle's defence cracked in the 10th minute, when centre Tommy Talau scored out wide after the visitors created a left-edge overlap.
Five-eighth Adam Doueihi converted to give the visitors a 6-0 lead.
Newcastle hit back six minutes later when fullback Tex Hoy dummied and darted over, but back-rower Mitchell Barnett was unable to add the extras.
Five minutes later, it was 12-4 when Doueihi scored from a Luke Brooks chip kick and then converted his own try.
Hindered by repeated handling errors, and then a leg injury to bench forward Jacob Saifiti, the Knights reduced the deficit when Barnett crashed onto a Jayden Brailey short ball to score.
Once again, Barnett's conversion attempt was waved away.
The Knights started the second half strongly but suffered a setback in the 46th minute when Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu burst through the middle of the ruck, evaded Hoy, and scored.
Doueihi's conversion gave the visitors an 18-8 advantage.
Just as it appeared the Knights were struggling to make any inroads, prop Daniel Saifiti popped an offload, found Connor Watson in support and he linked with Pearce, who raced away to score between the posts.
Six minutes later, the Knights hit the lead for the first time all game when Hoy linked with Tyson Frizell, who raced away for his first try in Newcastle colours.
Hoy's conversion made it 20-18 to the home side.
Newcastle went into the game with a reshuffled line-up featuring 19-year-old English import Dominic Bailey, signed from Super League club Huddersfield at the end of last season.
