The Newcastle Knights produced one of the gutsiest performances in their history but had to settle for a 14-all after a drama-charged clash against Penrith at Campbelltown Stadium.

Not even 10 minutes of golden point extra time could separate the two teams after the Knights fought back from 14-0 midway through the first half.

Brave doesn't do the Knights efforts justice.

They lost skipper Mitchell Pearce after four minutes with a bad concussion and then three minutes later, starting hooker Connor Watson went down with an ankle injury.

Neither camp back and Penrith dominated possession for long periods but somehow, the Knights defence found the energy to keep turning up for each other.

Both sides had opportunities in the dying minutes to win the game with Matt Burton missing with two attempts for the Panthers and Kurt Mann also missing in regular time.

Golden point was full of drama.

Burton hit the upright with one of his five attempts at field goal in the game and two try star Bradman Best bombed a try-scoring opportunity which would have sealed it for the Knights in the first period of golden point.

Debutant, Tex Hoy, who was outstanding, missed with two attempts in golden point.

Another of Newcastle's debutants Chris Randall, who came on for Pearce and played the rest of the game, came up with an incredible 71 in a massive effort.

The loss of the skipper and starting hooker after just nine minutes left the Knights with a mountain to climb and they showed enormous ticker to go into the halftime break only trailing 14-6.

Debutant Chris Randall came on for Pearce and Jones came on for Watson during the early injury carnage.

Fullback Tex Hoy was outstanding early defensively, coming up with two try-saving tackles on Panthers centre Dean Whare. Both times, Whare was denied after being held up over the line.

Then centre Enari Tuala denied Josh Mansour when the Panthers winger looked likely to score in the corner with some more desperate defence.

The Panthers early pressure finally told though when Viliame Kikau crashed through to scored from close range for a 6-0 advantage after 19 minutes.

The Knights then lost Glasby to the head-bin midway though the half before Penrith extended the advantage to 14-0 after a rare eight point try.

Backrower Kurt Capewell crossed for the Panthers with Edrick Lee penalisedoot for lashing out with his boot after he grounded the ball for the try.

Centre Stephen Crichton kicked both goals for the 14 point advantage.

But courageously, right on halftime, the Knights hit back through prop Jacob Saifiti, who stormed over under the posts with Hoy converting.

The Knights came up with some inspired defence on their own line in the opening 15 minutes of the second half to keep Penrith out and then for good measure, went up the other end and scored themselves.

Centre Bradman Best stormed over out wide, capitalising on a late Glasby off-load to catch the Panthers defence out. Hoy missed the goal but it was 14-10.

Best's double 10 minutes later after some great work from Lee following a kick tied it up.