Cowboys 18 Sharks 24
PAUL GALLEN was named on the bench after playing for Australia against New Zealand, but he overcame fatigue when the Sharks needed him and had a big influence in Cronulla's win against North Queensland at Dairy Farmers Stadium last night.
The Sharks were leading 10-6 four minutes before half-time when second-rower Gallen convinced referee Tony Archer that he deserved a penalty for being held down too long in the tackle.
It looked like Gallen had milked the penalty, but the Cowboys paid the ultimate price for conceding it.
The kick for touch took the Sharks deep into enemy territory and they took advantage when second-rower Luke Douglas scored.
Winger Luke Covell's conversion gave Cronulla a 16-6 buffer approaching the break, but things were to get even better for them before half-time.
And again it was Gallen who made the difference.
The Cowboys lost the ball inside their own half and from the subsequent set Gallen forced his way over for a try. Covell's conversion made it 22-6 and the Sharks went to half-time breathing easy.
Only one minute into the second half, North Queensland lost one of their key players - five-eighth Travis Burns - when he hurt his shoulder making a tackle on Gallen.
The Sharks went further ahead in the 48th minute when Covell kicked a penalty goal to make it 24-6.
But just when it appeared the visitors were coasting comfortably to victory, the Cowboys rallied strongly over the last 15 minutes to set up an exciting finish.
Prop Carl Webb scored a try in the 67th minute and second-rower Luke O'Donnell added another in the 70th.
Both were converted by Australian halfback Johnathan Thurston to cut Cronulla's lead to six points, but North Queensland could not get any closer and the Sharks hung on to win.
Gallen was pleased to get back to club duties after tasting Test success against New Zealand.
"I struggled a bit tonight," he said. "I blew out after about 10-12 minutes in the second half, but it was great to come up here and get a win.
"I am really happy for the boys. I have been away from them all week. It was great to see how professional they were."
Gallen believed the victory tonight would ease the pressure after some tight losses in recent weeks.
"The win puts us back on track. We lost two games we could quite easily could have won, so it is good to get one back," he said.
North Queensland coach Graham Murray said a poor first half cost his side any chance of victory.
"We were happy about our second half but the cruel part of it was our first half bordered on pretty ordinary," Murray said.
"I was pretty scathing of the first-half handling. The players know it and we know it as a team."
CRONULLA 24 (F Anderson L Douglas P Gallen B Kearney tries L Covell 4 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 18 (M Henry L O'Donnell C Webb tries J Thurston 3 goals) at Dairy Farmers Stdm. Referee: T Archer. Crowd: 17,065.
