Sharks suffer defeat in controversial clash at Dudley Hill

The Sharks led by 10 points early in the second half thanks to two tries from Dec Brereton and one from Sam Ottewell but 22 unanswered points turned the game around.

Dudley Hill had Damon Birik sin-binned for leading into a tackle with his arm and were fortunate not to have another player carded when Owen Lumb appeared to be caught by a late high tackle.

Soon after the hosts registered the first points as winger Jamie Brentley scored an unconverted try.

Further altercations followed before Hill’s Daniel Lee was sin-binned for a high shot on Ottewell.

The Sharks moved the ball right and Brereton twisted inside his man to go over, with Squires converting to edge them in front.

Brereton then shrugged off an attempted tackle to go in after rampaging runs from Callum Barker and Nathan Wright. Squires added the extras for a 12-4 lead.

Callum Wilkins and Martin Southwell combined to send Brentley over for his second try but the Sharks held a four-point lead at half-time although were themselves reduced to 12 men with Andrew Tillotson sin-bnned for holding down.

Brereton made a superb break and offloaded for Ottewell to score and Barker converted to make it 18-8.

Dudley Hill struck back in controversial circumstances as the ball appeared to be ripped out in a tackle after a Sharks man was held but play continued and Aiden Batey scored amid confusion. Elliott Cousins added the conversion.

Alex Dickinson then scored and the conversion put Dudley Hill in front before Wall sprinted in down the left, despite claims of a forward pass, to make it 24-18.

Aiden Chandler was twice held up, the first time after a turn of pace from Greg Wilby, but Dudley Hill sealed victory when Andrew Walker went over for the match clinching score.