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A much-improved effort from the Newcastle Knights Premier League team was not enough to get them two much-needed competition points on Saturday afternoon. The Knights were defeated 16-15 by the Sharks, and although scoring three tries apiece, goalkicking was the difference.
In just the second minute of play Ron Lovegrove for the Sharks scored an opportunists try. After completing the first set of the match, the Sharks went to halfback Ryan Borg for the kick, only to see the kick partially charged down. Sharks five-eight Russell Aitken beat Knights fullback Sam Wooden to the ball before offloading to Lovegrove who scored in the corner. This opportunistic try was going to serve as the difference between the two sides. The Knights were not deterred and hit back in the tenth minute through halfback Luke Walsh. Five-eight Jarrod Mullen, returning after spending four weeks on the sidelines with a broken hand, kicked to the posts, looking for a rebound. The ball did just that and into the arms of a waiting Walsh who dived over beside the posts. Walsh converted his own try to give the Knights a 6-4 advantage. In the 21st minute the Sharks hit the front through second rower Darren Mapp who ran through some flimsy Knights defence. Halfback Ryan Borg converted Mapps try to put the Sharks in front 10-6. In the 30th minute, the Knights again hit back. Brad Tighe scored out wide after running onto a perfectly timed Mullen cut-out pass. Walsh missed with the conversion, leaving the scores locked at 10-all. This would remain the score until 10 seconds before halftime. The Knights after attacking the Cronulla line forced a goal-line dropout and after fumbling the ball and after the siren, Mullen landed a 35 metre field goal to give the Knights the narrowest of leads heading into the break at 11-10.
The second half was a much tighter affair with both teams completing their sets and kicking long, looking for a mistake from the other side. Just two minutes into the second half, the Sharks again hit the front, this time through Jardine Bobongie. Ryan Borg again converted to put the Sharks in front by five, 16-11. The Knights continued to look for a converted try to put themselves back in front, but couldnt find the last pass which stuck. In the 49th minute, Mullen was again involved. Kicking on the fifth tackle towards the wing of Trent Salkeld, Sharks winger Mitch Brown could not contest the ball, which came down to Brad Tighe. Tighe then threw a pass out the back which was scooped up by Salkeld who won the race to the corner with Brown. Unfortunately for the Knights, Walsh missed with the conversion from out wide, leaving the Knights trailing 16-15. This would remain the fulltime score, as the Knights looked for a try in the frantic final ten minutes where the Sharks held on, but only just. Many times the Knights could have gone for the draw, with sometimes having perfect field position for a field goal - 20 metres out and in front, but they wanted the win. It is the second week in a row where the Knights have been defeated by less than a converted try. Last week they lost 30-25 to Balmain Ryde and unfortunately this week 16-15 to the Sharks. For the Knights, Daniel Tolar was again outstanding. Brad Tighe also had a solid game where he looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.
It seems all is lost for the Knights Premier League side for Season 2006, but if they are any chance of making the semi-finals, they must beat the 3rd placed Manly Sea Eagles on Friday evening.
In just the second minute of play Ron Lovegrove for the Sharks scored an opportunists try. After completing the first set of the match, the Sharks went to halfback Ryan Borg for the kick, only to see the kick partially charged down. Sharks five-eight Russell Aitken beat Knights fullback Sam Wooden to the ball before offloading to Lovegrove who scored in the corner. This opportunistic try was going to serve as the difference between the two sides. The Knights were not deterred and hit back in the tenth minute through halfback Luke Walsh. Five-eight Jarrod Mullen, returning after spending four weeks on the sidelines with a broken hand, kicked to the posts, looking for a rebound. The ball did just that and into the arms of a waiting Walsh who dived over beside the posts. Walsh converted his own try to give the Knights a 6-4 advantage. In the 21st minute the Sharks hit the front through second rower Darren Mapp who ran through some flimsy Knights defence. Halfback Ryan Borg converted Mapps try to put the Sharks in front 10-6. In the 30th minute, the Knights again hit back. Brad Tighe scored out wide after running onto a perfectly timed Mullen cut-out pass. Walsh missed with the conversion, leaving the scores locked at 10-all. This would remain the score until 10 seconds before halftime. The Knights after attacking the Cronulla line forced a goal-line dropout and after fumbling the ball and after the siren, Mullen landed a 35 metre field goal to give the Knights the narrowest of leads heading into the break at 11-10.
The second half was a much tighter affair with both teams completing their sets and kicking long, looking for a mistake from the other side. Just two minutes into the second half, the Sharks again hit the front, this time through Jardine Bobongie. Ryan Borg again converted to put the Sharks in front by five, 16-11. The Knights continued to look for a converted try to put themselves back in front, but couldnt find the last pass which stuck. In the 49th minute, Mullen was again involved. Kicking on the fifth tackle towards the wing of Trent Salkeld, Sharks winger Mitch Brown could not contest the ball, which came down to Brad Tighe. Tighe then threw a pass out the back which was scooped up by Salkeld who won the race to the corner with Brown. Unfortunately for the Knights, Walsh missed with the conversion from out wide, leaving the Knights trailing 16-15. This would remain the fulltime score, as the Knights looked for a try in the frantic final ten minutes where the Sharks held on, but only just. Many times the Knights could have gone for the draw, with sometimes having perfect field position for a field goal - 20 metres out and in front, but they wanted the win. It is the second week in a row where the Knights have been defeated by less than a converted try. Last week they lost 30-25 to Balmain Ryde and unfortunately this week 16-15 to the Sharks. For the Knights, Daniel Tolar was again outstanding. Brad Tighe also had a solid game where he looked dangerous every time he touched the ball.
It seems all is lost for the Knights Premier League side for Season 2006, but if they are any chance of making the semi-finals, they must beat the 3rd placed Manly Sea Eagles on Friday evening.
