Misfiring Sharks Secure Victory

Determined to resurrect their winning form, Gordano faced a Saracens team who have historically provided tough opposition. The swirling wind led to endless handling errors and penalties and it was the home side who took advantage of the few scoring opportunities which arose.

Saracens opened in confident form, pressing Sharks hard but failing to break through a resilient defensive line. The Gordano counter attacks struggled to coordinate effectively until the twentieth minute when a 5m lineout was awarded and the best piece of teamwork of the entire match was rewarded with a driven try by half back Alex Walder following five phases of ferocious assault. There followed a tight contest with the advantage swinging each way and both sides defended well, and although Sharks were looking dominant as the half closed, it seemed that a mere five point lead would be insufficient to take into the second period against the weather.

Playing against the wind, Gordano weathered a strong Saracens restart yet despite mounting several promising counterattacks, misdirected passing and general miscommunication prevented any addition to the scoreline until James Copeland collected a fumbled opposition ball off the ground and ran it in from close range. With a win seemingly assured, Sharks relaxed and began to play with less urgency and greater confidence and it was ironic that just as their quality began to improve, they allowed Saracens to score from an intercepted pass ten minutes from time, but only 10m in front of the posts, the conversion attempt was brilliantly charged down by second row James Grindle. The final minutes were a tense affair where both sides saw opportunities denied by flawed attacking and dogged defending but neither tryline was severely threatened.

Sharks' Forwards were constantly called upon in a game characterised by scrums and restarts, and their impressive workrate both defensively and at the set piece was some of the best we have seen all season. In contrast, Sharks offensive game didn't get into its stride until late in the match and many efforts to carry the ball were compromised by questionable decisions and hasty, inaccurate passing. Nevertheless, it was reassuring to see that even when the most potent section of the side is below par, other parts can step up to the plate.

Special mention to second row Nathan Carey for an outstanding performance throughout and Richard Kingscott whose refereeing standard was commended by both sides.

HT 5-0

FT: 12-5

Scorers

Sharks Tries: Alex Walder, James Copeland Conv: Alex Walder

Saracens Try: Rob Grant