Sharks tame Lions and maintain impressive winning run on road

Casey Johnson kicked six out of six goals and scored the opening try as he ended with 16 points to help Shaw Cross edge out their winless opponents, who stay bottom of the table.

The Sharks went behind early in the game as Featherstone raced into a 10-point lead.

A short pass cut the Shaw Cross defence open before an intercepted ball was collected by the centre who sprinted down the line and scored in the corner.

Johnson replied for Shaw Cross as he received the ball close to the line and thought about the pass before darting to and forced his way over close to the posts.

Minutes later the Sharks went ahead as Zac Parkinson was on the end of a short pass and barged his way through the tacklers to get over the line.

Cross continued to dominate and another score five minutes later put the away side further ahead as Greg Wilby burrowed his way over from close range.

Featherstone reduced the deficit five minutes before half-time as a prop forward barrelled his way through the tackles to get the ball down close to the posts.

Sam Ottewell got his name on the scoresheet early in the second half as Benjamin Spaven broke the line before moving the ball back inside to Ottewell who weaved his way through the opposition defence before diving over in the corner.

Shaw Cross went further ahead moments later thanks to hooker Nathan Smith, who picked the ball from acting half-back 40 metres out and weaved his way through the tacklers to get over the line.

Featherstone then scored two controversial tries to close to within two points, as their centre barged his way over the line and the referee awarded the try without consulting his touch judge who had not given the score.

The home side cut infield to score close to the posts, the Shaw Cross bench were up in arms as they shouted for a forward pass in the build-up but the try was awarded and converted.

Jamie Searby then scored what proved to be the game clinching try as he dived over from close range in the left corner, Johnson added a measured kick from the touch-line to put Sharks eight points ahead.

Dec Ellis thought he had scored his first ever try as a senior for Shaw Cross but his score was ruled out for a forward pass.

Featherstone scored with the last action of the game as the winger received the ball on the left and dived over the tackler to score, the conversion was successful but it proved to be the last action of the game as the full-time whistle was blown.

Head coach Brett Turner was pleased with the win and the attitude of his side throughout the game.

He said: “We like it on the road evidently, to go 10 points behind and then come back into the game was fantastic.

“In the second-half we only had two fit substiutes and we tired a bit but to see it out the way we did, I thought we were brilliant.

“The penalty count was also a lot better and we didn’t give away many cheap ones today and that is really pleasing.”

Victory saw the Sharks move up to seventh place in the table and they seek a fourth away win of the campaign on Saturday when they make the short trip to Hunslet Warriors, who are level on points with Shaw Cross after they were beaten 37-18 away to Lock Lane last week.