Flegg Sharks go down in a thriller
The heartbreak continued for the Jersey Flegg Sharks, with a late field goal then try in the final second seeing Penrith escape with a 17-10 win in their round 14 match at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
After narrow losses to the Dragons, Roosters and Bulldogs in their most recent three matches, all in games where they had winning opportunity late into the contest, the Sharks went blow for blow with the highly rated Panthers side before falling at the finish.
The Sharks got off to the perfect start, skipper Jack Boyling on the spot to grab an Angus Ernst grubber kick and following the Kyle Pickering conversion the Cronulla side led 6-0 inside the opening 10 minutes.
The would extend their lead when Kayal Iro finished off an attacking raid with a determined charge to the line and at 10-0 midway through the first period the Sharks appeared well in control.
The tide would turn however, two Penrith tries before the break, the first of which was converted, and the teams would go to half time with the scores locked at 10-apiece.
The second half developed into something of an arm wrestle, with neither team able to assert any dominance, but it would be the Panthers to steal the points, the 30-metre field goal to half back Hayden Bonanno with three minute remaining putting them in front, before a try to the same Penrith player on the full time siren sealed the result.
The loss was a continuation of the recent run of close losses for the young Cronulla side who remain in contention but now face a battle over the back half of the season to qualify for the Flegg finals.
SHARKS 10
Jack Boyling, Kayal Iro tries, Kyle Pickering goal
Lost to
PANTHERS 17
