Flegg Sharks outlast the Knights
The Jersey Flegg Sharks have survived a late rally from the Knights in scoring a 16-12 win in their round 14 match at St John Park in Newcastle.
The Sharks led 16-0 deep into the second half, only for the Knight to score twice to make for an interesting finish, only for the young Cronulla side to hang on and record a valuable away win as they push for a finals berth.
"We've had three tough road trips in four weeks, Victoria, Canberra and now Newcastle and to win those three games is a really big effort," Sharks Flegg Coach George Ndaira said. "For then to come here, its always a tough game in Newcastle, to get away with a win was a good result."
It was pretty much smooth sailing for the Sharks who crossed for four first half tries, the last coming in the final minutes before the break, and despite none of those tries being converted, the 16-0 advantage may have indicated a comfortable Sharks win.
Unfortunately for the Sharks that isn't quite the way it panned out, the Knights responding, scoring twice, setting up a nervous finish for coach George Ndaira.
"I think we helped the Knights, last 10 sets we were only four from 10, 40 percent completions and we were close to 80 percent in the first half. Then giving away some late tackle penalties, it just gives the opposition a bit more energy and made our job a bit harder," he said.
For the Sharks Jordan Samrani continued his solid form of late, crossing for the first two Cronulla tries, with hard running winger Tom Rodwell touching down one minute before half time.
Sam Stonestreet, who has bounced between the NSW Cup, where he has played for the Newtown Jets, and the Jersey Flegg, scored the Sharks fourth.
The win was the seventh for the Flegg Sharks who sit fourth and opened up a three-point gap to the fifth placed Panthers.
Next up for the Jersey Flegg Sharks is a game against Penrith, scheduled for a 1pm kick off at PointsBet Stadium next Sunday.
SHARKS 16
Jordan Samrani 2, Sam Stonestreet, Tom Rodwell tries
Beat
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 12
