Flegg Sharks win Elimination Final
The Jersey Flegg Sharks have continued their impressive run of form with a 22-6 Elimination Finals victory over the Newcastle Knights.
The young Cronulla side won seven consecutive games to qualify for the competition finals, and now following a week one victory remain in the hunt for the NSWRL Under-21's title.
In what was at times a scrapy affair, the Sharks win was based around a resilient defensive display, with the four tries to one victory a reasonable reflection of their dominance.
The Sharks started fast, half back Riley Pollard showing good pace to score out wide and it was 4-0 after the opening five minutes of the match.
With the early momentum all their own way the Sharks added to their lead when hooker Chaz Jarvis dived over from dummy half and following the Pollard conversion it was 10-0.
From that point in the first half neither side was able to trouble the scoreboard operator, however on the stroke of half time the Sharks would add to their advantage and it came through a huge defensive play.
The Knights passed to their left from a scrum, the ball runner was met by two Sharks tacklers, with the ball spilling free. Pouncing on the football was winger Kristian Dixon who sprinted 40-metres to touch down under the posts, The extra two points were added by Pollard with the Sharks going to the break up by 16-0.
With their season slipping away the Knights responded after half time, a try in the north-western corner of Leichhardt Oval, converted from the sideline, brought the margin back to 10.
Shortly after the Newcastle side appeared to have edged even closer to the when a fumbled grubber kick grounded by the Knights, however the referee ruled the chasers to be off-side.
That would be as close as the Knights would get, a second try on fulltime by Te Wehi Waitere after good lead up by Dixon, then centre Michael Gabrael, sealing the result.
The Sharks now move on to play Penrith next weekend after the Panthers were soundly beaten by the Bulldogs in a qualifying finals match.
SHARKS 22
Kristian Dixon, Te Wehi Waitere, Riley Pollard, Chaz Jarvis tries, Pollard 3 goals
beat
KNIGHTS 6
