The Cronulla Sharks have beaten the Newcastle Knights 19-18 in a golden point thriller to give themselves some breathing room in fourth place. The match was a see-saw affair, with both sides taking turns to dominate. The Sharks started the game as if they were shot out of a cannon, scoring twice inside the first seven minutes of the contest. Daniel Atkinson crossed first in the fourth minute before the five-eighth turned provider for Briton Nikora with a deft grubber kick in the seventh minute.
Both of the Sharks’ tries came from strong defensive actions, notably from Blayke Brailey - who forced the ball out of Fletcher Sharpe’s hands in the set before Nikora’s try. From there it appeared the wind was firmly in the home side’s sails as they continued to exert themselves on the contest.
Until the 20th minute, when their control on the match was broken by a try from towering Knights edge Kai Pearce-Paul. A crossfield kick was batted back by Knights debutant Kyle McCarthy, whose knock down found Pearce-Paul with plenty of work to do. The Englishman powered through traffic to score his side’s first of the night.
10 minutes later the visitors scored again through Greg Marzhew, who was on the end of some lovely work from Kalyn Ponga, who attacked with pace and purpose before firing a bullet pass into his winger’s hands.
Newcastle controlled the closing stages of the first half, only losing their grip on the contest right on the cusp of half-time when halfback Phoenix Crossland was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul. With seconds remaining on the clock, the Knights’ No.7 held down on a Sharks player attempting a quick play the ball and was duly sent to the sin bin.
Crossland’s act, described by Fox League’s as a “really silly play,” could’ve been costly for the Knights, only for Atkinson to miss the ensuing penalty kick and Newcastle to dominate the period he was sidelined.
The visitors opened the second half by nearly conceding a try, only for Ponga to make a strong try-saver on Siosifa Talakai in the 43rd minute. A few sets later the Knights scored through Dane Gagai, who swatted Talakai away on his way to a four-pointer. Between Talakai’s bombed try and Gagai’s the Knights also slotted a penalty goal, meaning they led 18-10 after 50 minutes.
From there the game entered an arm wrestle, with neither side able to find an opening amidst some resolute defence from everyone on the park. Cronulla’s decision to kick a penalty in the 63rd minute, despite having the Knights on the ropes and cornered on their own try line, highlighted the strength of Newcastle’s suffocating defence.
Ronaldo Mulitalo scored with eight minutes to go, with Atkinson’s sideline conversion sending the game toward golden point. The game took a twist at the end of the game when both sides had successful field goal attempts ruled out for blocking penalties, sending the game into extra time.
Newcastle fired the first shot in golden point, nearly scoring down the right edge after Gagai made a break, only for his pass inside to Ponga to be knocked down by Will Kennedy. On the next set, the visitors fired the next shot through Crossland, not Ponga, whose field goal attempt flew wide of the posts, leaving the door open for the home side.
Off the next set, the Sharks marched up the field and set Atkinson up to slot the winning field goal, and confirm the two points would remain in Cronulla. With the Bulldogs and the Sea Eagles breathing down their neck, this was a crucial two points for Cronulla, while the Knights will rue a missed opportunity to keep their season alive.
A Tight Contest
The Sharks were able to get off to a quick start, scoring two tries in the first seven minutes of the match. This put the Knights on the back foot, and they were forced to play catch-up for much of the game. However, the Knights showed their resilience, and they were able to close the gap to just two points before the final whistle.
Ponga's Brilliance
Kalyn Ponga was the standout performer for the Knights. He was a constant threat with the ball in hand, and he was also instrumental in defence. Ponga made a number of try-saving tackles, and he was also involved in the lead-up to several of the Knights’ tries.
Golden Point Drama
The game went to golden point after a controversial blocking penalty was called against the Sharks. This decision denied Atkinson a winning field goal attempt in regulation time. However, Atkinson made no mistake with his kick in golden point, sealing the victory for the Sharks.
A Turning Point
The turning point in the game came when Crossland was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul. The Knights were already struggling to contain the Sharks at this point, and the sin bin made things even harder for them. The Sharks were able to capitalize on their numerical advantage, and they scored a try soon after Crossland’s departure.
A Missed Opportunity
The loss was a missed opportunity for the Knights. They had the Sharks on the ropes for much of the game, but they were unable to close the deal. The Knights will need to learn from their mistakes and build on their strong performance if they want to make a late push for the finals.
Looking Ahead
The Sharks will be hoping to build on their win and continue their charge towards the finals. They have a tough run of games coming up, so they will need to keep their focus if they want to achieve their goals.
The Knights will be looking to bounce back from their loss and get their season back on track. They have a number of talented players, so they will be hoping to turn things around in the coming weeks.
