Despite scoring three tries to two, unfortunately another slow start has proved the downfall of the Sharks, the Cronulla side losing a tight tussle by 14-12 to the Canterbury Bulldogs.
The Sharks were down 14-0 early in the first half and while they managed to keep their opponents scoreless for the remaining 50 minutes of the match, they couldn't get their noses to claim the all-important two competition points.
Behind for the entire contest, the Sharks appeared likely to pull out a last minute victory, Jack Williams careering away downfield on an 80-metre run, only to be tackled metres from the try line in a play that typified the afternoon.
Coach John Morris would later express his disappointment at the glut of errors committed by his players, specifically his senior leaders, with the loss putting his team under some pressure to perform, starting with a crucial game against the Broncos next Sunday.
The Bulldogs would be first to score, a Sharks error gifting them field position and at the end of their set of six a Kieran Foran kick was plucked out of the air by Will Hopoate who touched down.
The conversion was successful and the Sharks recent run of poor starts had continued with the Bulldogs up 6-0 after the opening five minutes of the match.
Following another Sharks mistake a Bulldogs penalty goal made it 8-0, with the home team enjoying all the field position and well on top in the first 12 minutes of the match.
That early domination continued when Foran bake through a couple of Sharks defenders on his own side of the half way line, came to fullback Moylan and passed to Dallin Watene-Zeleniak, with the Bulldogs number one racing away to score.
Nick Meaney converted from adjacent to the posts and the alarm bells were ringing at 14-0 to the Canterbury side.
Forced to defend grimly to limit the first half damage, the Sharks finally managed to work their way into an attacking field position and following a stripping penalty would get their first shot at their opponents line.
After being repelled for four tackles a shift of the ball to the right saw Moylan create some space for Sosaia Feki, before putting the winger over out wide.
Shaun Johnson couldn't add the extras from a difficult angle but the Sharks at least had some encouragement at 14-4 down.
The mood of coach John Morris would have improved even further when after a heads-up play from Josh Morris, who stripped the ball on the first tackle again had the Cronulla side deep on the attack
Now with growing confidence the Sharks pressed once more, their second try coming in bizarre circumstances, Briton Nikora reaching out to score, only to have the ball stripped, with Johnson picking up the scraps to plant the ball down for the four-points.
Unfortunately his kick at goal was again off target but the Sharks would have felt better about going to half time down by just six after conceding the first 14 points of the match.
The second half turned into something of an arm wrestle, with the Sharks creating the better of the chances and when Josh Dugan scored, after a Moylan grubber, the centre pouncing on a rebound, the tide had appeared to turn.
Johnson’s difficult night with the boot continued when his kick to level drifted to the right but the Sharks had the momentum at 14-12 behind with still almost 25 minutes remaining.
The final period of the game again featured far too many Sharks errors for them to mount any serious challenge but they did have their chances, with a desperate Bulldogs outfit managing to hold on.
The Sharks now have seven days to turn their fortunes around with a home game against Brisbane.
SHARKS 12
Shaun Johnson, Josh Dugan, Sosaia Feki tries
Lost to
BULLDOGS 14
Will Hopoate, Dallin Watene-Zeleniak tries, Nick Meaney 3 goals
