Shaw Cross Sharks and KXP Serve up a Lunchtime Treat.

KXP had played the Sharks in a pre-season friendly last season and were soundly beaten 32-18 by a much stronger and more technically gifted Sharks team and I for one went into today’s game fearing the worst. That said, KXP went ‘toe to toe’ with the Sharks today, tackling like their lives depended on it and were unlucky to lose a game in what most spectators thought a draw would have been a much fairer result.

KXP got the game under way but a poor kick by Todd Horner allowed the Sharks to start their attack much higher up the pitch than Coach Waddy would have liked. The Sharks poured forward at every opportunity. There was a greater fluency to their passing, culminating with a kick to the corner in an attempt to contain KXP within their own 10 yard line. KXP’s tough carries drove the Sharks back towards their own half, yet KXP’s reluctance to pass the ball out wide resulted in them coming up against the Sharks well drilled defensive line time after time. Yet when KXP did move the ball out wide, they came up trumps. A neat passing move involving Louis Inman and Todd Horner lead to George West touching down in at the corner and put KXP 0-4 up.

The Sharks responded immediately. A sweeping move resulted in them exploiting a gap out wide and levelled the scores 4-4. KXP did however go into the half-time break 4-8 up, as strong running by Ted Grogan and quick feet by Todd Horner ensured that the Sharks would have to come from behind again to get anything out of this game……and they did. Shaw Cross Sharks went on to score two tries without reply in the second half to edge past KXP and win the game 12-8.

Despite today’s loss, the boys should be pleased with the way they battled against a team who are without doubt the benchmark of where KXP should aspire to be. In addition to which, there were individual performances that must have pleased Waddy and his coaching team. There were much improved tackling performances by William Boom and Noah Smerdon. Both Oliver Vining and Daniel Smith ran hard with the ball and Thomas Amer lead the line well with a master class in the art of tackling. The signs are good and there’s definitely cause for optimism.

Performances of the week:

Opposition Man of the Match: Todd Horner
Man of the Match: Louis Inman
Coaches Award: Oliver Vining
Best Defensive Performance: Thomas Amer

MATCH REPORT BY GRAHAM SMERDON