Former under-20s winger Will Tupou emerged as a hero as North Queensland snapped a four-game losing streak with a 28-24 golden-point win over Newcastle in Townsville.

For the second home game in a row, the Cowboys were forced to watch a sizable lead evaporate in the dying stages, Fijian flyer Akuila Uate and re-called centre Cooper Vuna cutting a 24-14 advantage with less than two minutes on the clock.

Skipper Kurt Gidley pushed the game into extra time from the sideline, his conversion attempt dying late but hitting the upright and ricocheting over the crossbar.

But it was Tupou who had the crowd of 12,146 in raptures when he tip-toed his way along the sideline in the third minute of golden point to plant the ball in the very left corner in the biggest highlight of his 10-game NRL career.

Uate put in a strong performance on the left edge with several incisive runs including an easy beat on Cowboys skipper Johnathan Thurston to score from halfway out just before halftime.

He also set up the nervous finish for the Cowboys, finishing a sweeping backline movement with less than seven minutes on the clock to bring the Knights back to within six points before Vuna and Gidley’s efforts.

Departing North Queensland lock Luke O’Donnell played a starring role in the win, scoring two tries and becoming involved in everything in just his second game back from his Origin II suspension.

Isaac De Gois’ 95th NRL game was marred in a bloody fashion, the Knights hooker helped from the field in the 55th minute after an ugly head clash with Cowboy Matt Scott was compounded by an accidental boot to the face from teammate Matt Hilder. He returned late in the game.

Young Cowboys second-rower Dane Hogan had to be medi-cabbed off the field nine minutes from fulltime with a suspected neck injury following a tackle attempt on Gidley gone wrong.

But it was only precautionary and he was fine after the game.

Newcastle were forced into a host of changes before kick-off, with Mark Taufua, Cooper Vuna and Joel Edwards drafted into the squad as cover for injured players Adam MacDougall (ankle), Dan Tolar (thigh) and Cory Paterson (shoulder).

Willie Tonga had the crowd roaring in the 58th minute when he burrowed his way through Uate and Vuna to break a 14-all halftime deadlock and O’Donnell appeared to have the result sealed when he barged over in the 66th minute.

Newcastle were first on the board when halfback Jarrod Mullen found some lax defence on the Cowboys 20m line and sliced through before dishing to Ben Rogers, Gidley’s conversion opening up a 6-0 lead.

But the Cowboys pressed the attack as errors crept in the Novacastrian’s game, eventually levelling the scores in the 24th minute though O’Donnell who strolled through a yawning opening in the defensive line from a Thurston long ball that hit the deck first.

Watts, back from a one-week suspension, took the lead for the North Queenslanders when he kicked to the left corner where a wicked bounce beat Uate and allowed the utility to touch down, Thurston’s conversion giving them a 12-6 lead.