[Source: NRL]

Nicho Hynes returned to his best as the Sharks held off a late Rabbitohs comeback to end a three-match losing streak in Perth on Saturday night.

Cronulla had conceded 102 points in their three losses and they failed to score in last weekend’s 28-0 loss to Penrith but they held Souths scoreless for 64 minutes at Optus Stadium.

With more than 48,000 fans in attendance for the NRL double-header, the Sharks raced to a 24-0 lead as Hynes had a hand in three of his side’s four tries and made 16 runs in the first receiver’s role as Cronulla kept their top four hopes alive.

After three consecutive losses, the Sharks were desperate and they started strongly with a copybook tackle by Latrell Mitchell preventing Connor Tracey from scoring the opening try in the seventh minute.

Cronulla continued to attack the Rabbitohs’ right edge and their perseverance paid off when winger Mawene Hiroti beat Tyrone Munro and Cody Walker before stepping inside Mitchell to score in the 18th minute.

The Sharks struck again on the opposite side of the field when centre Jesse Ramien pushed off Alex Johnston and Isaiah Tass in a run down the touchline before turning the ball inside for winger Sione Katoa to score in the 25th minute.

Katoa still had plenty of work to do and the way he stood up Mitchell after stepping out of the tackle of Walker was a spectacular piece of individual brilliance.

A Nicho Hynes penalty goal extended Cronulla’s lead to 14-0 in the 33rd minute and only the desperate defence of Ilias, Damien Cook, Tom Burgess and Tallis Duncan stopped Wade Graham from scoring soon after.

Souths’ best first half scoring opportunities were when Siosifa Talakai intercepted a Lachlan Ilias pass in the 30th minute and Alex Johnston put his left foot into touch as he planted the ball in the corner a minute before the break.

Munro bought fans to their feet when he sprinted into the clear just with just seconds remaining on the clock but the break failed to result in points and the Rabbitohs went to halftime trailing 14-0.

The Sharks showed they were intent to go on with the job in the second half when Hynes put halves partner Braydon Trindall over for the first of his two tries five minutes after the re-start.

Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham was held up by Hiroti in the 52nd minute and the Sharks struck at the opposite end just five minutes later when Trindall started and finished a stunning try scoring movement.

Trindall grubbered for Hiroti who batted the ball infield to stop it going into touch and Talakai picked it up before grubbering infield where the Sharks five-eighth collected it and dived over to score.

Leading 24-0, Cronulla looked home and hosed but the Rabbitohs suddenly came to life when Walker and Mitchell combined to create space out wide for Johnston to score in the 64th minute.

The Kumuls winger then turned creator after racing down the sideline and kicking infield for an unmarked Ilias to catch the ball and score just a minute later.

An 74th minute Isaiah Tass try gave Rabbitohs fans hope of a remarkable comeback but it was too little too late and they are now in danger of dropping from the top eight after winning just three of their last nine games.

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