NZ Warriors have suffered their fifth straight NRL defeat, going down 20-12 to Cronulla Sharks at Sydney's Jubilee Stadium.
The loss leaves the Warriors still searching for a win, having not tasted victory since defeating Wests Tigers all the way back in round 11 on May 21.
In a cagey start to the clash that saw the Warriors miss two chances to open the scoring, the Kiwi side finally crossed over for the first points of the match midway through the first half.
A kick into the Sharks' in-goal by mid-season signing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak was missed by the Cronulla defenders, as teen sensation Reece Walsh pounced to ground the loose ball and score.
But from 6-0 up, the Warriors wobbled to surrender a huge lead in the opening half.
Playing at five-eighth, 22-year-old Braydon Trindall took control of the match, firstly by putting away Connor Tracey for the Sharks to level scores, before crossing over himself to take the lead.
Trindall's try - his first in the NRL - came as part of a brilliant individual display on his 22nd birthday.
The Warriors will be left sweating on the availability of halfback Sean O'Sullivan in the coming weeks, after he was placed on report for a high tackle in the dying stages of the first half.
The Sharks had a third before the break, as Kiwis international Braden Hamlin-Uele barged straight over the top of Walsh to score, as a penalty from Trindall sent Cronulla into halftime with a 20-6 advantage.
Cronulla were lucky to keep their full quota on the field after halftime, as Sione Katoa was placed on report for a swinging arm to the head of Bayley Sironen - only for match officials to avoid the call to send the winger to the sin-bin.
But after a successful captain's challenge that saw a knock-on call against club debutant Matt Lodge overturned, the Warriors scored the first try of the second half as O'Sullivan put Roger Tuivasa-Sheck into a gap to bring the Kiwi side back to within eight points of the Sharks.
But that was to be the only try, and only points of the second half, as the Sharks did what they had to do to shut the Warriors down and seal their seventh win of the season, and keep hold of eighth place on the NRL ladder.
The Warriors loss could be compounded by another absence for prop Addin Fonua-Blake, who was placed on report not once, but twice, for high tackles, potentially ruling himself out for upcoming matches.
The defeat leaves the Warriors with a record of five wins and 11 defeats from their 16 matches played this season.
It sees the Warriors drop to 13th on the NRL ladder, now four points off the top eight after wins to contenders the Sharks, and Canberra Raiders - who've moved into ninth after a 30-16 win over Manly Sea Eagles.
The Kiwi club trail 12th placed Gold Coast Titans on points differential.
The Warriors will bid to end their losing streak in round 18, when they face Penrith Panthers on July 18.
