Eels create Knightmare for Newcastle
Even with an extra man the Newcastle Knights could not stop their horror NRL season run.
A drunken spectator invaded the field in the 79th minute trying to tackle a rampant Eels but it was all to no avail as Newcastle fell to its 12th straight defeat - a record-equalling 50-0 shellacking from Parramatta.
Newcastle is in sight of its maiden wooden spoon after equalling its club record 64-14 loss to Cronulla in 2002 in what was also Parramatta's biggest win over the Knights, easily eclipsing its 40-0 victory in 2001.
It seems EnergyAustralia Stadium security was leafing through the record books along with the statisticians as a spectator - complete with beer in hand - effortlessly ran onto the field with little over a minute left on the clock.
In a bizarre finale, the field invader - who stuck out in a black tracksuit - shaped to tackle several Eels players as Parramatta once again attacked the Newcastle line.
The disgruntled Knights fan even had time to throw his beer to the ground in disgust as the Eels went on to score their eighth unanswered try.
The man was then hauled off by shellshocked security before being thrown out of the stadium by police.
A Newcastle official said the club would decide whether to press charges.
Newcastle coach Michael Hagan tried to joke about the late incident but nothing could cheer him up after the Knights equalled the second worst run of NRL defeats - behind only Wests' 14 losses of 1998-99.
"It wasn't a great night by any means. Fifty points is not something you enjoy and I guess the effort was better than that in some respects but in the end we were probably outplayed and outclassed in a lot of ways," Hagan said as his side remained the only NRL club without a win and major sponsor.
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