14/04/2008 9:11:33 PM

Adam Lucius

Sportal

Cronulla has maintained the early season pressure on South Sydney, hanging on to defeat the winless Rabbitohs 12-10 in a tense Monday night clash at ANZ Stadium.

Souths, the Cinderella team of 2007, has now lost its first five games of the season to sit alone at the bottom of the NRL ladder.

The Bunnies showed plenty of grit and determination against the below-strength Sharks but just couldn't find a way through a resolute Cronulla defence.

The courageous victory gives the Sharks a slice of the competition lead.

The visitors led 12-6 at the break but saw that advantage cut after resisting the Bunnies for the opening 17 minutes of the second half.

Five-eighth John Sutton stood in a tackle before offloading to Jeremy Smith who sent Beau Champion racing over in the corner.

Champion sprang to his feet and kissed the Rabbitohs emblem on his jersey as the small but vocal crowd of 12,988 came roaring to life.

Nathan Merritt missed the conversion but it was game on at 12-10.

For the next 23 minutes Souths pounded the Cronulla line but just didn't put enough questions to the Sharks' defensive line.

In the end the team from the Shire held strong to claim a victory which may become more significant as the season rolls on.

Stand-in skipper Greg Bird gave Cronulla a dream start, stepping past Roy Asotasi and David Kidwell to touch down from close range.

Luke Covell's conversion gave the visitors a 6-0 lead after 14 minutes.

Covell eased Cronulla further in front 10 minutes from the break when he kicked a penalty after the Sharks had gone almost the length of the field in search of a second try.

A lovely piece of football from fullback Brett Seymour from the ensuing set of six provided Cronulla with its second try.

After the ball was kept alive close to the Souths' line, Seymour put in a perfectly weighted grubber kick for Covell to win the race and plant the ball down.

The try-scorer missed the conversion from out wide but the Sharks were threatening to pull away at 12-0.

Souths desperately needed to score before the break to stay in the contest Sutton duly delivered with 32 seconds left on the clock.

The big No.6 stepped Luke Douglas to crash over and, with Nathan Merritt's conversion, the Rabbitohs were back in it at 12-6.

But despite scoring the next try and keeping Cronulla scoreless in the second half, Souths just could not come up with another four-pointer when it so desperately needed it.

Cronulla 12
Tries: Covell, Bird
Conversions: Covell
Penalties: Covell

Souths 10
Tries: Sutton, Champion
Conversions: Merritt

Sportal NRL Player of the Year
3 - Brett Kearney (Sharks)
2 - John Sutton (Rabbitohs)
1 - Luke Douglas (Sharks)