Shoals crushed their old foe in Round 1 of the competition but found the task of repeating the task a few yards too far against an inspired Vikings outfit.

Shoals have lost more than a team of players to injury and other absences.

Despite their depleted ranks the players that took the field tackled their hearts out in a determined effort to be competitive.

They made Vikings work hard for their points and it was only late in the game that the early defensive effort took its toll.

The Shoalhaven Ex Servicemen’s Shoals 1st grade team scored the first points of the game with a great try to Matt Spresser at the 10 minute mark but from that point they rarely saw the ball as Vikings put on a try scoring feast of their own.

Vikings ran in four tries in the first half to go to the break leading by 26 points to 7 and another six tries in the second half to take the game by 64 points to 7.

Vikings went hard on attack from the opening bell and launched a series of raids on Shoalies’ line.

The defence was up to the task and held out all comers.

In this period Shoals rarely saw the ball as Vikings handling and passing was of rare high order. Still Shoals kept them out and finally cleared their line with a couple of penalties.

At the 10-minute mark Shoals backline went to work in attack.

Sam Watts at five eighth put a neat grubber kick ahead from the halfway line and Matt Spresser racing down his left side wing finally got a favourable bounce and gathered in the ball and jinked inside the fullback.

He stepped further infield and as the racing cover descended on him he passed it to Pat Connor flying up in support. Connor cleverly eluded a coupler of tacklers then passed the ball back to Spresser who raced away for a great try.

Harri Hibbs converted and Shoals had an early lead.

That early good fortune deserted Shoals from that point and they rarely caught sight of the ball as Vikings dominated play for the next 70 minutes. Vikings used all parts of the field to play some exhilarating rugby.

The ball was swept back and forth through the backs and forwards as they worked the angles to get through Shoals’ tigerish defence. Joe Calcraft, Jamaine Crossley and Tim Lovett got through an enormous number of tackles as did their team-mates.

By the end of the match the Shoalies’ team left on the park was quite different to the one that had run on at the start such was the toll from all that tackling.

Most of the 10 tries that Vikings ran in during the game came after they had pretty well exhausted Shoalies’ defensive lines. They ran it ragged but it was Vikings good play that told in the end.

 Shoals play at home next Saturday against Tech Tahs who will be seeking to avenge their first round loss.