Tenacious Warriors hand Knights their fifth defeat of the season

The Warriors have dealt the Knights their fifth defeat in the opening seven matches of the season on a rainy evening in Christchurch.

Following a poignant Anzac Day ceremony, the Warriors capitalised on the slippery conditions, emerging victorious with a 26-12 scoreline.

It could have been even worse, however, as both teams squandered several scoring chances and handed opportunities to their opponents due to critical errors.

In the opening half, both teams had a pair of tries disallowed by the Bunker, which were initially awarded by on-field referee Wyatt Raymond.

Additionally, both teams found themselves down to 12 players within the first few minutes due to high tackles, with Marata Niukore sent off for 10 minutes in the second minute, swiftly followed by Leo Thompson in the fifth minute.

Despite these setbacks, the Warriors managed to score three legitimate tries, two of which came from bench forward Jackson Ford, taking a commanding 16-0 lead into halftime.

The Knights were the first to break the deadlock in the second half, with James Schiller scoring in the 49th minute.

Just moments later, Wayde Egan crossed for the Warriors once again.

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Midway through the second half, Rocco Berry was forced off with a bloodied face.

In the 71st minute, Adam Pompey scored to effectively seal the game, although Brodie Jones managed to score a consolation try for the Knights in the dying moments, giving the final score a slightly more respectable appearance.

This win marks the first time the Warriors have triumphed in an Anzac Day clash at home out of three attempts.

In the upcoming Magic Round, the Warriors will face the Cowboys, while the Knights are set to take on the Rabbitohs.