SHELLHARBOUR City have continued their excellent start to the season - remaining unbeaten in the South Coast Rugby League competition.
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The Sharks notched another victory against Warilla-Lake South Gorillas at Cec Glenholmes Oval with a 24-14 win on Sunday.
After a fiery reserves game where three players were sent off, the crowd were anticipating an intense first grade local derby.
Warilla came into the game looking to stay in touch with the top five and in great form with wins over Albion Park-Oak Flats and Milton-Ulladulla.
They looked to be in control when they forced a mistake from Shellharbour - a cross-field kick deep in Shellharbour's territory.
Warilla halfback Josh Kent capitalised via a great pass to fullback Chad Lisch, who scored under the posts.
Lisch converted and Warilla led 6-0 after five minutes.
Off the back of a penalty in their own half, Warilla captain Aaron Henry broke through the defence of Shellharbour and made a 50-metre break down the middle of the field then passed to Lisch, who scored his second try for a 10-0 lead.
The Sharks crossed for their first try in the 23rd minute courtesy of fullback Danny Sartori off a kick rebound by Matt Carroll, who converted to close the gap to four points.
For the remainder of the half, there were a lot of stoppages as tempers flared.
Warilla went to half-time with a 10-6 buffer.
Both teams started the second half with similar intensity.
In the 53rd minute, Gorillas' prop Joel Skeates found space out wide and a threw a great pass to winger Jay Knick, who crossed in the corner.
Up to this stage the Gorillas' dominance had kept the large Sharks supporter base quiet but that all changed in the twinkle of an eye as the Shellharbour side sprung into action, scoring three brilliant tries within the space of five minutes.
The first came off a 40-metre break down the middle of the field by Carroll who passed to Sartori for his second try.
The Sharks then scored from the kick-off as replacement winger Manny Sultana broke through tired defence down the middle of the field and passed, 20 metres out from Warilla's goal-line, for captain Hans Schuster to score under the posts.
Two minutes later five-eighth Dylan McGregor scored and - with all three tries converted by Carroll - the Sharks were in complete control. In the final five minutes, Warilla tried and failed to break the defence.
Carroll, Schuster, Sartori and Kurt Field were best for the Sharks - Lisch, Ben Cotter, Daniel Paulissen and Mark Walsh were best for the Gorillas.
