Tigers snap losing streak

THE Lae Tigers roared back into the winners’ circle with a convincing 34-14 victory over competition leaders Mendi Muruks on Sunday.
The Digicel ExxonMobil Cup round 7 fixture at the Lae Rugby League ground was a meeting of two Morobe-based franchises but only one could claim the mantle as the “home side”.
The Tigers, sponsored by the Lae Biscuit Company under its Snax brand, had suffered back-to-back losses heading into the match while the Southern Highlands side were also coming off a loss to the Enga Mioks at the same venue.
The hosts with the inclusion of PNG Hunters players Joshua Mire, Wendell Kipsy and Sanny Wabo clicked into gear from the outset with winger Dickson Otto capitalising on an overlap on the left dge to go over for the first try of the match. Mire converted for a 6-0 lead.
The Tigers pack led by prop Zebedee Kip laid the groundwork for Kipsy to crash over under the uprights with Mire collecting an easy two to extend the lead to 12-0.
Tigers extended their lead to 18-0 when Otto darted in for his second four-pointer and Mire converted.
The Petroleum Resources Kutubu (PRK) sponsored Muruks fought their way back into the contest with interchange forward Mesno Laki barging over and halfback Mark Tony potting the extras for the visitors to trail 6-18 at halftime.
The Andiki Andrew-coached Mendi side came out strongly in the second stanza with an unconverted try close the margin to 10-18.
The Tigers were dealt a blow in the 49th minute when reserve Emmanuel Alfred was sin-binned for an off the ball incident on Muruks winger Vali Geno Junior.
Despite the numerical advantage the Mendi side were unable to exploit it even though their pack raised their intensity up a notch with notable efforts from Koso Bandi, Isaac Kongupa, Yves David and Agiru John Aku.
The momentum swung back and forth until the 60th minute when the Tigers finally dug their claws in through a try to reserve Douglas David out wide for a 22-10 lead.
The Lae men then consolidated their lead with Otto completing his hat-trick with a try off a Mire kick for a handy 28-10 lead.
A Tony cut-out pass found Geno Jnr who went in to score an unconverted try for Mendi to cut the deficit back to 14-28 but the Tigers iced the match when a break by captain Lynol Molpoyo led to a try by Mire who knocked over the conversion to hand the ladder leaders their second loss on the trot.