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Force Go Down in Season Finale
The Emirates Western Force took it right up to the Sharks and scored an incredible try at Kings Park in Durban, but fell short losing 27-22 to finish its 2010 Investec Bank Super 14 campaign.
The Force finish the season with 19 points and four wins and will end up in 12th position after an encouraging second half of the season.
Following the loss of a host of star players to injury, the Force lost the first six games of the 2010 season, but since recorded impressive wins over the Stormers, Highlanders, Crusaders and Lions, and showed plenty of good signs looking towards 2011 and beyond.
The game with the Sharks saw the Emirates Western Force dominate possession in the first half, but the Sharks managed two tries still on limited opportunities.
Brett Sheehan and James O'Connor had their kicking boots on to have the Force trail by just two points at half-time, before the Sharks added a third try to start the second half.
The Force then turned on some magic to score one of the tries of the season but couldn’t quite do enough to overcome the Sharks.
Captain Nathan Sharpe wasn’t at all happy with the end to the season as it was a game that he felt the Force could have won.
"It's disappointing. Both teams came out with the same mindset of playing and again we just made too many mistakes," Sharpe said.
"Both teams probably came home stronger than they started, but you'd like to be contesting finals at this time of year. We are disappointed with that performance and although the Sharks played well, we could have taken it."
The Emirates Western Force dominated possession in the opening minutes, but the Sharks took full advantage of their first foray into their attacking end by scoring a converted try through Lwazi Mvovo.
The Force quickly regained control of possession, though, and earned four penalties in the space of 13 minutes and kicked them all to take a 12-7 lead over the Sharks.
Sheehan took the first two as they were from long range and despite coming into the match having nailed just 1-of-7 penalty goal attempts for the season, his kicking boots were right on song in Durban.
The first was from 42 metres out from wide, and then a second from just outside 50 metres from in front. That gave the Force confident to keep attacking and they did so to earn two more penalties.
Both were much closer and James O'Connor booted both, but then the Sharks got hold of the ball again and took advantage with Ryan Kankowski running over for a try. Pienaar again converted to put the Sharks up 17-12, but O'Connor converted another penalty just on half-time.
After the break, the Sharks scored a third try through flanker Jacques Botes from a rolling maul and when Pienaar converted the home side led 24-15.
The Force's outstanding try then all began when O'Connor started the play from inside his own try line. He ran the ball up and passed off to Mitch Inman who made a great run.
He dished back to O'Connor and then Justin Turner consolidated the ball at the breakdown, and Tim Fairbrother and Ryan Cross combined to get the ball out to Nick Cummins who crossed for the memorable five-pointer.
O'Connor converted and the Force trailed by just two with 17 minutes to go.
The Sharks extended its lead to five through the boot of Pienaar and then a scrum penalty against the Force ended the match and the WA-side's season.
BY THE CLOCK
8th min – Try to the Sharks by Lwazi Mvovo. Conversion by Ruan Pienaar.
19th min - Penalty kicked for the Emirates Western Force by Brett Sheehan.
26th min - Penalty converted for the Emirates Western Force by Brett Sheehan.
30th min - Penalty kicked for the Emirates Western Force by James O'Connor.
32nd min - Penalty converted for the Emirates Western Force by James O'Connor.
34th min - Try for the Sharks to Ryan Kankowski. Converted by Ruan Pienaar.
39th min - Penalty goal for the Sharks to Ruan Pienaar.
41st min - Penalty converted for the Emirates Western Force by James O'Connor.
HALF TIME: Emirates Western Force 15 Sharks 17
48th min – Try for the Sharks to Jacques Botes. Converted by Ruan Pienaar.
51st min - Matt Dunning replaces Tim Fairbrother and Sam Wykes replaces Ben McCalman for the Emirates Western Force.
56th min - Nathan Charles replaces Ben Whittaker and Justin Turner replaces Brett Sheehan for the Emirates Western Force.
61st min - Try to the Emirates Western Force by Nick Cummins. Converted by James O'Connor.
66th min - Penalty goal for the Sharks to Ruan Pienaar.
77th min - Sam Harris replaces Mitch Inman for the Emirates Western Force.
FULL TIME: Emirates Western Force 22 Sharks 27
Emirates Western Force 22 (Cummins try; O'Connor 1/1 con; Sheehan 2/2, O'Connor 3/3 pen)
