Cessnock conceded seven tries to lose 38-14 to the Lions, who sit in second on the Newcastle Rugby League ladder, with third-placed Wests to play Kurri Kurri at Harker Oval on Sunday.

Their finals hopes now sit on a knife’s edge and could all but be snuffed out if the Bulldogs win.

The Goannas’ loss was compounded when back-rower Brendan Hlad did not return after half-time with a wrist injury.

In front of a big crowd at Cessnock Sportsground on Saturday, it looked like the Goannas would take momentum into the break reducing the margin to 12-10.

But the Lions immediately countered scoring a converted try and then scoring the first of the second half to establish a 12-point buffer.

Despite being reduced to 12 men for 10 minutes with a sin-binning, Souths were able to run out comfortable 38-14 winners.

Meanwhile, the Maitland Pickers found some strike power in attack, but Macquarie Scorpions exposed their defensive frailties to run out 24-point winners in a second-half onslaught on Saturday

The Pickers trailed 20-0 midway through the first half, but managed to peg it back to 20-18 by half-time with tries to Zeb Luisi, Matt Ireland and Liam Faughlin all converted by Geordie Connelly.

They led 24-20 when Steve Waetford crossed five minutes after the break and Connelly made it four from four.

However, two minutes later the game turned on its head again and the Scorpions scored 28 unanswered points to run out 48-24 winners.

Macquarie had seven try scorers including doubles to Nathan Cantor and Andrew Sumner. Teason Fa'Avae-Eli kicked six of nine shots on goal.

South Newcastle 38 def Cessnock 14

South Newcastle Points Scorers - S Cook 2, J Flanagan 2, D Nilsson, B Simpson, J Lawrence. Goals - W Heta 5. 

Cessnock Points Scorers - C Orchard, D Metcalf, Z Dunstan. Goals - B Mendyk 1. 

Macquarie 48 def Maitland 24

Macquarie Points Scorers - N Cantor 2, A Sumner 2 , M Simon, I Briggs, C Hyde, J Schmiedel, S Allen.  Goals - T Fa'avae-Eli 6. 

Maitland Points Scorers - S Waetford, Z Luisi, M Ireland, L Faughlin. Goals - G Connelly 4.