photos by Ian Lovell

West London Sharks booked their second successive Rugby League Conference Grand Final date after a hard fought win over a Blackwood Bulldogs side that failed to give up until the final whistle.

The Bulldogs were never in the lead but were always competitive as a number of 50-50 decisions failed to go their way.

Wests took an early lead when David Madigan set up Steven Forbes to go over. Jamie Boston converted.

Blackwood levelled things on 23 minutes with an outstanding try from Kris Perry, taking ball on the 10 metre line, he weaved through half a dozen Sharks players. Jeremy Lloyd converted.

The scores were even for just three minutes as Sharks’ Pete Madigan broke through and sprinted 40 metres to go under sticks with Boston adding the extras.

Straight from kick-off, it was 18-6. Terence Pooner got on the end of a chip kick to easily score in the centre too. It was an easy kick for Boston.

Pooner added another in the corner three minutes before the interval that was again superbly converted by Boston but Blackwood hit back on the whistle to give them a glimmer a hope. Gareth Dare scored in the corner with Lloyd converting for a second time to put the half-time score on 12-24.

Boston extended the lead early in the second half with a penalty goal given for holding down to make the score 12-26.

However Hywel Jenkins did well to catch his own chip kick to score under the sticks on 50 minutes. Lloyd’s kick reduced the deficit to eight points.

A try from Steven Forbes just after the hour mark, that was again converted by

Boston restored the balance, but a fine individual try from Blackwood’s Wes Cunliffe that Lloyd converted put the score back to 24-32 with ten minutes remaining.

But Sharks wrapped things up four minutes later, when following a controversial penalty, Dan Baker scored in the corner. Boston missed the kick but compensated by scoring a penalty goal moments later.

BULLDOGS
1. Darren Hooper
2. Wes Cuncliffe
3. Kris Perry
4. Steve Richards
5. Gareth Dare
6. Jeremy Lloyd
7. Andrew Jenkins
8. Hywel Jenkins
9. Byron Williams
10. Anthony Symmons
11. Anthony Payne
12. Matthew Williams
13. Matthew McGovern
14. Clarke Morgan
15. Andre Soroko
16. Jason Rogers
17. Alessandro Borghese
Tries: Perry (23), Dare (40), H.Jenkins (50), Cunliffe (70)
Goals: Lloyd 4/4

SHARKS
1. Steven Forbes
2. Peter Scotney
3. Pete Madigan
4. Dan Baker
5. Graham Robbings
6. Nathan Humphries
7. Rob McLean
8. David Madican
9. Mark Barnes
10. Lawrence Ross
11. John Paul Byrnes
17. Mark Hyndman
20. Jamie Boston
14. Gerald Dolan
15. Terence Puna
16. Steve Burkhill
Tries: Forbes (10, 61), P.Madigan (26), Pooner (29, 36), Baker (74)
Goals: Boston 7/8

Referee: Tom Mather
Half-time 12-24

article by Ian Golden
6 September 2009