HE was not complaining about the decision but Cory Paterson was convinced momentum carried him across for what was almost Newcastle's winning try against the Roosters at EnergyAustralia Stadium yesterday.

Video referee Tim Mander denied Paterson a second try in the 73rd minute when he ruled a double movement against the giant second-rower and the Roosters hung on to win 16-14.

Shaun Kenny-Dowall's second try from a Braith Anasta cross-field kick gave the Roosters their two-point lead five minutes earlier and the Knights were crying out for a game-breaker.

Opportunity knocked when Paterson powered onto Danny Buderus's deft inside flick pass about 10 metres from the Roosters' line.

Roosters prop Mark O'Meley pulled Paterson down just short, Paterson's ball-carrying arm hit the ground, and he reached out to plant the ball over the line.

Mander had several looks but eventually the try was disallowed and the Roosters received a penalty.

"The more they showed it, I was thinking maybe we'll get benefit of the doubt here," Paterson said. "I thought it was momentum and I could see the line so I thought I was still all right to put it out, but it wasn't to be."

Paterson, who has been critical of his own attacking form this season, had already scored the Knights' first try, leaping above the pack to mark a Jarrod Mullen cross-kick and touch down in the 30th minute to level the scores 6-6.

He and fellow back-rower Chris Houston started the game on the bench as coach Brian Smith reshuffled his pack to include Ben Cross in the front row, Matt Hilder at lock and Zeb Taia and Steve Simpson in the second row.

"Bedsy [Buderus] summed it up perfectly after the game," Paterson said.

"Whether it was Wes [Naiqama] a little bit behind when he could have scored at the end there, or I was caught a little bit short, or us not being square at marker by a couple of inches, he [Buderus] said it's all about inches. So we're not far away but we've still got some work to do."