In continuing their climb up the NSW Cup ladder, the NSW Cup Sharks won their seventh game on the trot in beating a strong Auckland Vulcans 38-16 in the first of three matches to be played at Toyota Stadium on Sunday.

The NSW Cup Sharks, ably led around the paddock by experienced campaigners Corey Hughes and Blake Green, built on a 22-6 half time lead in running away with the match in the second stanza.

After losing their first three games of the 2009 season the NSW Cup Sharks could now be first on competition ladder should other results fall their way over the course of the weekend.

The Sharks came out of the blocks fast against the Kiwis, with big front rower Ryan Verlinden opening his team’s account with a determined try from close range.

Green converted and the Sharks had taken a 6-0 lead after less than 10-minutes of the match had elapsed.

The Vulcans struck back courtesy of a try to former Brisbane Bronco Denan Kemp, but that would be the lone first half highlight for the visitors as the Sharks, showing plenty of enterprise, crossed the line on three more occasions to take a 16-point lead to the break.

Sharks try scorers included Misi Taulapapa who pounced on a clever Green grubber, wing partner David Simmons out-jumped the defence following a Jon Tavinor bomb to score one his own, while Green charged through a gap 20-metres out before outsprinting the defence to score in the corner.

The Vulcans were first to score in the second half to get within 10-points of the Sharks but that would be as close as it would get, with further tries to Taulapapa and Simmons, as well as a spectacular solo effort from fullback Isaac Gordon, completing the scoring.

The Sharks had a whole host of outstanding performers, with Green, Hughes and Taulapapa a thorn in the opposition’s side, while rangy backrower Brad Barrett was amongst the best of the Cronulla forward pack.

In the Toyota Cup, despite a much improved performance from the young Sharks, a second half fight back fell just short as they went down by 32-22 to the New Zealand Warriors.

The Sharks trailed 16-6, then 22-6 in the early stages of the second half, before getting within striking distance at 22-18 only to concede two more four pointers to the Kiwi side.

NSW CUP
Sharks 38
Beat
David Simmons 2, Misi Taulapapa 2, Isaac Gordon, Ryan Verlinden, Blake Green tries, Green 5 goals
The Vulcans 16
Denan Kemp 2, Isaac John tries, Kemp 2 goals

TOYOTA CUP
Sharks 22
lost to
Daniel Perkins, Mikos Tepania, Lancen Joudo, Andrew Madden tries, Chad Townsend 3 goals
Warriors 32
Siuatonga Likiliki, Bill Tupou, Shaun Johnson, Rusty Bristow, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Michael Afioga, Ben Henry tries, Johnson 2 goals