NEWCASTLE'S inspiring revival continued when they upset Canberra Raiders 30-28 in a cliffhanger at GIO Stadium on Sunday.
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After their season-opening 19-18 win at home to Manly, Newcastle are now unbeaten after two games, their best start to a season since 2015.
It was their first win in Canberra since 2014 and only their sixth in 27 visits to the national capital.
A try by centre Sione Mata'utia in the 74th minute clinched the points for the three-time wooden spooners, after a seesawing contest.
The two teams finished locked at 14-all after an absorbing first half.
Newcastle held the lead three times before the break, but each time the Raiders pegged them back.
The visitors drew first blood in the 11th minute, when they opted against taking a kick at goal from a penalty and instead back themselves to conjure up a try.
Their confidence paid dividends seconds later when back-rower Aidan Guerra burst onto a short ball from his former Roosters teammate Connor Watson and scored.
Five minutes later, prolific try poacher Jordan Rapana dived over in the corner for Canberra after getting on the outside of his opposite number, Nathan Ross.
Newcastle edged ahead in the 26th minute after fullback Kalyn Ponga, with a trademark goosestep, created hesitation in the defensive line and gift-wrapped a try for back-rower Lachlan Fitzgibbon, his seventh in the past seven games.
Rapana weaved his magic again six minutes later, flying high above Ross to bat a Sam Williams chip kick back inside for Elliott Whitehead to score.
Ponga and Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker then traded penalty goals to ensure the first 40 minutes finished all square.
Canberra grabbed the momentum early in the second half after a glut of penalties and a Shaun Kenny-Dowall fumble.
Eventually Newcastle cracked when heavyweight prop Junior Paulo off-loaded in traffic and Whitehead strolled over in the 45th minute for his second try of the night.
The Green Machine's lead lasted just four minutes.
Again Ponga was the provider, creating a yawning gap for centre Tautau Moga to score his first try in Newcastle's colours.
Ponga then converted to make it 20-all.
Newcastle appeared to have regained the lead in the 53rd minute, only for the video referee to correctly rule Watson knocked on after winning the race to an in-field kick.
Another Knights penalty in the 56th minute, right in front of their posts, allowed Croker to kick his team two points clear.
When Croker dived over to score after a Blake Austin break, and then converted his own try, Newcastle were left facing an eight-point deficit with 17 minutes to play.
The Knights hit back in the 65th minute when Ross grubber-kicked in-field and Watson won the race to ground it.
Ponga's conversion made it a two-point ball game.
Newcastle surged back into the lead when Mata'utia scored in the 74th minute.
Both teams lost key players to injury in the early exchanges.
Knights lock Mitch Barnett was taken off after a sixth-minute head knock, then Raiders centre Joey Leilua needed the medicab to leave the field after suffering what appeared to be an ankle injury.
Neither was able to return.
