Having fought their way back from a 16-point deficit to level the scores in the under-20s, the Raiders couldn't produce the knockout blow and went down 36-28 to the Cronulla Sharks at Toyota Stadium.

Despite the loss, the Raiders remain fourth on the under-20s ladder but will slip back to fifth if the Wests Tigers beat the North Queensland Cowboys tonight.

The Raiders have dropped three of their past four games after sitting on top of the competition midway through the season.

Simon Lienesch gave the Raiders the perfect start when he finished off a brilliant break from livewire five-eighth Anthony Milford in the fifth minute.

That's as good as it got for the visitors in the first half, the Sharks running in three unanswered tries to take a 16-6 lead.

Another try straight after the break had the Sharks in complete control, only for the Raiders to cross three times in the space of 12 minutes to level the scores.

A lucky deflection from a kick put the Sharks back in front.

A late try from winger Edrick Lee, in his first game back in the Toyota Cup since being dropped from the Raiders' first-grade team, was not enough for the Green Machine to grab the two competition points.

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Toyota Cup Round 20: CRONULLA SHARKS 36 (D Moroko 3, M Lichaa 2, J Hasson, P Manumalealii tries; J Walsh 4 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 28 (S Lienesch, M Allwood, J Bradley, A Milford, E Lee tries; A Milford 4 goals) at Toyota Stadium yesterday.