Penrith score a 21-20 golden point win against Cronulla at Toyota Stadium

SHARKS coach Shane Flanagan was left fuming with the Sharks top-four hopes ripped apart by a controversial kick-off call.

SHARKS coach Shane Flanagan was left fuming last night with the Sharks top-four hopes ripped apart by a controversial kick-off call that set-up a shock golden point win for the Panthers.

In a heartbreaking defeat for the injury ravaged Sharks, Penrith No.7 Luke Walsh slotted an extra time field goal to seal a 21-20 win after Michael Jennings danced his way to a last minute try as the Sharks fans screamed blue murder.

Looking certain to edge back into the top four and snap a two game losing streak with Tyson Frizzel scoring in the 78th minute to claim the lead for the Sharks, the Panthers were given the ball back following a short kick off that appeared to fall short of the 10m line before finding touch.

Match Centre: All the scores and stats from the game

With just seconds remaining on the clock, enigmatic centre Jennings burst over to send the game to a field goal shoot-out after the Panthers won the scrum and went on the attack.

Sharks captain Jeremy Smith was gobsmacked by the call, claiming the on-field referee told him the ball travelled 10m in the air before floating back.

Gallery: Sharks v Panthers

Flanagan was adamant the ball failed to find the 10m line but refused to go on a tirade before reviewing the video footage.

"We should have won the game with a minute to go and somehow that has been taken away from us,'' Flanagan said.

"I will have to have a look at it but I didn't think it made the 10. It was straight in front of our bench and our doctors, physios, trainers and the players all insist it didn't go the ten. And Colin Best also thinks they got a touch on it aswell.

"It is a big call so I need to have a look at it closely. I need to see where the touch judge was. Originally they told Jeremy it went over the 10m line in flight and then blew backwards. So what is the touch judge ruling on.''

Decimated by injuries and late withdrawls to stars Todd Carney, Paul Gallen and Bryce Gibbs, the Sharks were leading 20-16 after Jeremy Smith set up Frizzel to snatch the lead in what had been a gruelling armwrestle.

The short kick off stunned the Sharks and they were not able to hold Penrith out following the surprise decision.

Referees boss Bill Harrigan was last night standing behind the call which allowed the Panthers to snatch the unlikley win.

"The proper reveiw will take place on Monday,'' Harrigan said.

"But I was standing in line with it and the ball past the plane of the 10m line, after that it does not matter where it bounces.''

The loss leaves the Sharks in 7th place and fighting to save their season.

"Our backs are against the wall now and we need to take some big scalps on the way home,'' Flanagan said.

"But hopefully we will have some troops back and if we are going to play in the semis we need to beat those teams so it is all in front of us. We are still in the eight now so I can't panic too much. I just have to take it week to week.

"I am expected Todd (Carney) and Paul (Gallen) will be right next week and so should Wade Graham.''

Cleary said the win was a morale boost for the struggling Panthers and the Penrith coach did not have a problem with the short kick off.

"It was the right call,'' he said.

PENRITH 21 (L Coote 2 M Jennings M Robinson tries L Walsh 2 goals L Walsh field goal) bt CRONULLA 20 (R Leutele 2 T Frizell J Robson tries C Townsend 2 goals) in golden-point extra time at Toyota Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Steve Lyons. Crowd: 7,848.