IT may have taken longer than they had hoped but the Shellharbour Sharks are finally on the board in 2021, after defeating the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 52-10 at Bill Andriske Oval on Sunday.
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With it being the Dogs' first home Group Seven game in the top grade to close to two years, they were always going to be looking for a fast start and that's exactly what they got.
It took just four minutes for them to open the scoring in the round five fixture when five-eighth Cody Roach found a gap close to the line.
He converted his own try and hosts led by six.
That lead was short-lived, as the Sharks' Conor Morrissy crossed in the 10th minute, following a sharp backline play by the visitors.
Carroll converted and it was 6-all.
The skipper got a try of his own six minutes later when he strolled over on the right edge - giving the Sharks' their first lead of the match.
Carroll's added extras stretched their advantage to six.
But the young Dogs weren't going away that easy, scoring their second in the 21st minute.
Once again Cody Roach was involved but this time it was his bullet pass to the left that put winger Liam Conlon over in the corner.
Roach failed with his sideline conversion and the Sharks held on to a two-point lead.
The Sharks responded minutes later when another shift to the right ended in the hands of winger Jye Brooker, who found space down the sideline, before dancing around three defenders to score.
Carroll's missed the conversion, as the scoreline was 16-10 and remained so until half-time.
Whatever Sharks coach Abed Atallah said at the break worked, as the visitors went to another level in the second 40 minutes.
It took just two minutes for hooker Ethan O'Connell to score under the uprights, which was easily converted by his captain.
Four minutes later, off a scrum, Carroll put centre Declan Morrissy over for a four-pointer - which the former converted.
In the 53rd minute, the Sharks onslaught continued, with O'Connell diving over from close range, following a strong run from forward James Rousell.
Carroll's extra two made it 34-10 with just over 20 minutes to go.
It was becoming all too easy for the visitors, as Carroll grabbed his second in the 65th minute, before recording his third - after being put into space by hooker Mitch Wilmot - three minutes later.
Carroll converted both his tries and it was 46-10.
The game was iced when Liam Ryan dived over, following an offload by Carroll.
The latter again converted, bringing his personal tally to 28 points for the match - as it finished 52-10.
The Sharks, who now have one win, one draw and two losses to their names in 2021, now travel to Michael Cronin Oval on Saturday to face Gerringong.
While the winless Bulldogs head to Kevin Walsh Oval on Saturday to play the unbeaten Superoos.