FULLTIME :: Sharks hold off a late Cowboys charge to win 26-24.
Wise play from Taumalolo. He dropped just over the 40 so Holmes can have a shot. He sprays it.
Johnson runs it on last. Cowboys have to go the full length.
PENALTY SHARKS! High shot. Robson is off to the bin.
Time off! Tolman looking dusty.
Robson tries to go himself on last. He is captured.
Suddenly we have a game! Four to go.
Holmes has a kick from a similar spot. He wastes no time, kicks it.
Feldt sneaks in a second try.
PENALTY COWBOYS! High shot on Holmes.
Holmes kicks it quickly.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! Feldt just got it to the line.
BUNKER TIME! Kyle Feldt might have just found the line. Goes up NO TRY.
That sums up the Cowboys tonight. A lock being at dummy half twice near the end of the set. Tame kick and Sharks can see this out.
Into the final ten. Cowboys will need something big to get out of this.
Cowboys tried to force it down the shortside. They ran out of room and Bowen goes out.
Holmes goes short and almost does it on his own!
Another tough kick for Johnson. He can take it out to 14 points. The half takes his time, puts it over the middle.
Sharks go short and Chambers strolls over.
Johnson tries a 40/20. It hit a Cowboy and Rudolf was there to regather. Set restarted.
It's a miracle. Both sides kicked the ball. Cowboys still trail by eight and need to find something quickly to win this game.
Now. Johnson is caught on last. He tried a trick play with Moylan but it was shut down.
Again. Cowboys caught on last. Dearden set Bowen up for a dump.
Sharks try the inside out ball to Kennedy but it was forward.
WHAT A PLAY FROM KENNEDY! He does a top rope dive to save the ball and knock it back in for the Sharks. They get possession now through Tracey.
PENALTY COWBOYS! High shot.
Sharks refused to die with the ball in that set. Johnson kicks for himself but the rebound falls to a Cowboys.
Cowboys were muddled in that set. Dearden tried to gather before he had it, ruled back then there is an error from Robson off the offload. CHALLENGE from the Cowboys. UNSUCCESSFUL. Accidental offside. Sharks ball.
Oh no, Ronaldo. What happened there?! He was just strolling to the ball and loses it.
Ten gone and both sides just rolling through the sets. Nothing major happened.
That wasn't the Wright pass and the forward coughs it up.
Holmes tries to burrow over but he is well taken. Tackle five.
Johnson with a tame kick and it's caught on the full. Seven tackle set for the Cowboys.
Not the start the Cowboys needed. Javid Bowen coughs it up.
We're back out for the second half! Sharks hold an eight-point advantage and look to move back into the top eight. Here we go for an intriguing forty minutes.
HALFTIME :: Sharks lead by eight in a see-sawing half.
Sharks were on the front foot. Tqo quick plays on the left but it breaks down at Chambers.
Kick from out wide for Johnson. He takes it from the left, he squeezed it between the sticks.
Straight from the scrum. Sharks sweep left and fitting for the Euros. Ronaldo scores.
Holmes is being driven back and he tries to offload. It went straight to a Shark who dives over. Referee rules it was held. Sharks scrum.
Last two sets, Cowboys have kicked early in the count. Caught the Sharks back three napping both times but Tracey wears the hit and the visitors are back with the ball.
Holmes from a wider range this time. He studies, puts it over.
Cowboys strike back! Lachlan Burr busted into the backline. The backrower looked ready to plant it down but Kennedy holds on. Next tackle, a charging Molo won't be stopped.
Johnson goes cross-field but Nikora knocks it on.
Johnson goes high again and gets the result! Sharks have a full set at the line.
Johnson opts for the sticks. The Kiwi internationl raises the flags.
PENALTY SHARKS! High shot.
PENALTY SHARKS! Granville touches it forward and touches Tuilagi. Easy call. Worry though that the Sharks didn't compete for the ball.
Moylan goes close. He dummies and takes on the line. Checking for an error. Moylan might have bobbled it. He has.
Time off! Hammer got stopped. He isn't looking flash and might be off for a HIA. It looks like the centre got his head in the wrong position.
PENALTY SHARKS! Hess goes high.
Sharks since their first try have gone aerial. Every bomb from Johnson has been contested and Nikora went close but it fell straight to the Cowboys man.
Cowboys are stampeding their way to the line now. A set restart gets them deep into Sharks territory but the kick on last is well taken by Kennedy. He dives into the field of play.
Holmes boots it over from close range.
Tom Dearden strolls through. The former Bronco found the weak link in the line, got a head of steam and slices through.
PENALTY COWBOYS! Strip. Can they create something off this.
Johnson makes it a dozen.
Sharks with the one-two punch! Siosifa Talakai skittled the defenders. Quick ptb and Woods spun across the try-line.
Oh dear. Cowboys kick it OUT ON THE FULL. Cowboys will have Feldt that kick after this set of defense.
Johnson with his first kick of the night. He swings it over.
The tale of two kicks. Cowboys one went dead. Johnson delivers a perfect kick that Tracey just dives onto to open the scoring.
Cowboys try an inside out ball to the rampaging Taumalolo but the lock can't handle it.
Both sides getting through their sets here. Sharks starting to get some bite though. Cowboys having to corrall themselves from their own end.
Close but no cigar. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow grounded it dead. Seven tackle set coming.
BUNKER TIME! Drinkwater with a short kick through for the Hammer to chase. He might have bounced it though.
Good kick from Drinkwater and the Sharks ruck it out. Mulitalo is driven back and in-goal. Dropout.
We have our first set restart. Kyle Feldt gets it with a lingering hand in the ruck. Cowboys will go over halfway now.
First out are the Sharks. They are sporting the spiffy Mark Hughes Foundation beanies as they enter the lush turf in Townsville in their blue, white and blue strip. Next are the Cowboys. They are also wearing the beanies and in their home kit. Here we go!
Happy Friday! Hope everyone is safe and ready for some rugby league! We start north of the border. North Queensland Cowboys host Cronulla Sharks in Townsville. The Cowboys have won five straight at the home ground and welcome the Sharks who are riding high after beating competition leaders Panthers. The hosts are sitting seventh while the Sharks are aiming to move themselves back into the top eight. Sit back, relax and grab some snacks for the game! Kick-off is set for 6pm.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Peter Gough
Touch Judges: Wyatt Raymond, Liam Kennedy
Video Referee: Matt Noyen
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (24)
Tries: Tom Dearden, Francis Molo, Kyle Feldt (2)
Conversions: Valentine Holmes (4/4)
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (26)
Tries: Connor Tracey, Aaron Woods, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Will Chambers
Conversions: Shaun Johnson (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Shaun Johnson (1/1)