DRAGONS coach Steve Price called it a potentially season-defining win.

SEE HOW WE COVERED THE GAME AT OUR MATCH CENTRE



Newcastle's Wayne Bennett, now officially the longest-serving coach in the NRL, would prefer just to forget it altogether.



The contrast in the two camps at last night could not have been more stark.



Price believes his side has something to build on after coming from behind to score a gutsy six-point victory on the back of a stellar performance from fullback Josh Dugan.



"It was a really gutsy win by our boys - I'm really proud of them," Price said. "They can certainly take a lot of belief and confidence out of that."



The Knights looked to have control of the game, leading 8-0 after centre Joey Leilua scored eight minutes into the second half. But they were unable to deliver the killer blow.



Knights winger James McManus, who has hardly put a foot wrong all season, couldn't find a hole big enough to crawl into in the lead up to Dugan's match-winning try.



With the scores locked at 8-8, Dragons half Nathan Fien attempted a field goal that skewed off the side of his foot.

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McManus was under no pressure but in a lapse of concentration, he knocked the ball on giving the visitors a scrum feed near the Knights line. Dugan took full advantage to step inside tired Knights defenders David Fa'alogo and Jeremy Smith.



A disappointed Bennett refused to fault his players.



"The effort was good. The blokes turned up to play here tonight, so they'll turn that around," he said.



"Without the effort, they'll turn nothing around."



Bennett, who refused to discuss the imminent arrival of Craig Gower or his coaching record, said he felt sorry for McManus.

media_camera Dragons fullback Josh Dugan slices through the Knights defence to score the winning try. Picture: Liam Driver



"He's been probably close to our best player all year and, at the end of the day, a little mistake he makes costs us dearly," he said



On his coaching record of 670 games, Bennett said: "It doesn't mean a great deal right now. We've suffered a tough defeat here tonight, so it doesn't mean a great deal."



The Knights led 4-0 at halftime after a tryless opening 40 minutes. Dugan went as close as you can to scoring before having a try disallowed when he planted the ball on the touch in-goal line after three minutes.



Two minutes later, the Dragons were penalised in front of their posts and the home side opted to take the easy two points via the boot of Tyrone Roberts.



The Dragons thought they had the opening try when Morris crossed in the corner after a Jeremy Smith mistake on his own 20m line.



But there was a hint of a knock forward by Dragons forward Jack Stockwell as Smith lost control and the video referee refused to over-rule the no-try decision of the on-ground referee.



Replacement Knights forward Beau Scott was injected into the game after a long lay-off with injury and found himself in some controversy.



media_camera Newcastle's Travis Waddell is wrapped up. Picture: Liam Driver



The two sides came together for some harmless push and shove, with Ben Creagh taking offence to Scott pulling the leg of Cameron King in a tackle.



A minute later Scott found himself on report for an alleged crusher tackle on Dugan.

ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 14 (J Dugan 2 tries J Dugan 2 C King goals) NEWCASTLE 8 (J Leilua try T Roberts 2 goals) at Hunter Stadium. Referees: Jason Robinson, Henry Perenara. Crowd: 19,214.