Shaw Cross Sharks lose out in promotion play-off semi-final
Shaw Cross Sharks missed out on a place in the final of the NCL Division One promotion play-offs after they were well beaten by Ince Rose Bridge.
The Wigan outfit are, as last year, 80 minutes away from a place in the Premier Division, alongside champions Wigan St Judes and runners-up Heworth, courtesy of a 50-12 semi-final win over the Sharks.
Bridge, who had registered a league double over the Sharks – 30-10 at home and 16-8 in Dewsbury – went into the match as favourites on home soil and were always in control in a match in which TJ Boyd scored a hat-trick and Mason Fillingham landed seven goals from nine attempts.
Jack Berry crossed twice in the first half, while Kallem Rodgers and Casey Smith also crossed to help establish a 20-0 interval lead.
Boyd added to the advantage with his first try six minutes after the restart before Shaw Cross threatened a comeback as they pegged their hosts back to 26-12 with Evan Stephenson converting tries by Nathan Wright and Brandon French.
But hopes of making further inroads were dashed as Ince dominated the closing quarter to hit the half-century with unanswered touchdowns by Matty Gaskell, Boyd (twice) and Byron Aspinall.
The Sharks’ Alex Baines was sin-binned in the closing stages for dissent.
Ince Rose Bridge will face Stanningley in Saturday’s promotion play-off final after they beat Oldham St Annes 20-12 in the other semi.
For Shaw Cross it is the end of the line this season, but they can look back on a good campaign in which they were up with the top teams in Division One for much of the year.