Roebuck strikes late to seal dramatic Shaw Cross win

Shaw Cross Sharks scored a dramatic late try to snatch a 26-24 victory away to Normanton Knights in National Conference Division One last Saturday.
Shaw Cross look to mount an attack during last Saturdays controversial victory over Normanton Knights, which boosts their hopes of reaching the play-offs.Shaw Cross look to mount an attack during last Saturdays controversial victory over Normanton Knights, which boosts their hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Shaw Cross look to mount an attack during last Saturdays controversial victory over Normanton Knights, which boosts their hopes of reaching the play-offs.

tle for a sixth away win of the season, which leaves them two points off the play-off places.

The visitors got off to a perfect start when Brandan French opened the scoring inside the first three minutes after he collected a short pass from captain Danny Flowers to get over the line.

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Moments later Matthew Tebb doubled the lead in only his second game since returning to the Sharks as he broke the line 40 metres out and twice sold a dummy to rush over in the corner.

Normanton responded with Ryan Kelsey’s score in the corner before a crossfield kick was superbly gathered by winger Aaron Butterfield and he superbly leapt to gather and ground the ball.

Sharks’ full-back Sam Ottewell then scored a wonderful solo effort to give his side some breathing space when he jinked through before stepping past the full-back to race away and cross next to the posts.

The Sharks’ lead was soon cut to six points, Lee Hammond scoring in the corner, but the visitors hit back when Flowers fed French, who produced a sharp pass to Roebuck and the winger burst down the line before passing back inside to Ottewell, who slid over the line for his second try of the match.

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Knights second-rower Matthew Handforth was then sent off for head-butting and throwing a punch.

The Sharks were hit by a double blow as Connor Wilson capitalised to pick up a loose ball when the visitors stood waiting for a knock on and he was allowed to continue and score.

French was left incensed as he claimed to have been bitten in a tackle by a Normanton player but it went unpunished.

Normanton took the lead as the ball was thrown wide to Butterfield and despite claims of a forward pass, he was allowed to run and score behind the posts.

With time running out, Shaw Cross moved the ball swiftly along the right to Roebuck who finished brilliantly in the corner to win the game.

Shaw Cross travel to Castleford Lock Lane on Saturday.