Flegg Sharks dominant in big win over the Silktails
The Jersey Flegg Sharks continued their late charge to the Finals with a demolition of the Fiji Silktails in their round 24 match at PointsBet Stadium.
Against a team playing just their first season in the elite level under-21 competition, the Fijian side was no match for the Sharks who ran in 11 tries in a 62-2 victory.
The Sharks were on the board early, a long Riley Pollard cut out pass putting Nikora Williams into space on the right with the winger scoring out wide.
A second Sharks try, this time on the other sideline to Te Wehi Waitere, made it 8-0, before Max McCarthy crashed over near the posts, Pollard converting, and it was 14-0 to the home side just 13 minutes into the contest.
Running freely with the Silktails unable to halt their momentum, the Sharks moved back into an attacking position and this time it was the combination of Pollard and McCarthy who would extend the lead, the half back slipping a short pass to the backrower for his second try of the game.
A dive over try from dummy half from hooker Chaz Jarvis and another conversion from Pollard extended the Sharks' lead, before a second four pointer to Williams and the successful kick at goal pushed the score out to 32-0.
Not to be outdone by his wing partner Waitere would also make it a try scoring double, while a third to McCarthy, backing up after a long passing exchange, added to two more goals from Pollard, made it 44-0, with the Flegg Sharks in a totally dominant first 35 minutes of the match.
Aided somewhat by a strong southerly breeze at their backs the young Fijians returned to the field with plenty of resolve after the break and it took the Sharks 17 minutes to add to their lead, backrower Dylan Coutts winning the race to a Taj Ford grubber kick.
Pollard was again on target as the Sharks brought up the 50 points following his successful conversion, however that wouldn’t be the end of the scoring.
Ethan Cocco brushed past a couple of defenders to plant the ball down five metres to the right of the posts, then Pollard after being involved in a number of his team’s tries would bag one of his own, dummying and diving over in the south-western corner of PointsBet Stadium, before his sideline conversion into the strong wind would complete the Sharks' scoring.
The Silktails gained some small consolation on the full-time siren when a high tackle resulted in a penalty goal, leaving the score 62-2 in the Sharks' favour.
With the win the Flegg Sharks moved to 29 competition points, one point shy of the top five and a potential finals berth with two rounds of the season remaining. The Sharks have matches to play against the Dragons and Warriors to complete their season.
SHARKS 62
Max McCarthy 3, Te Wehi Waitere 2, Nikora Williams 2, Chaz Jarvis, Dylan Coutts, Ethan Cocco, Riley Pollard tries, Pollard 9 goals
defeated
FIJI SILKTAILS 2
Melikiseteki Nacaginimasei goal
