Hekari United extend NSL lead

By HENRY MORABANG
HEKARI United FC has widened the gap on the Telikom National Soccer League competition ladder with a convincing 3-0 victory over Besta PNG United at Sir Ignatius Kilage stadium on Saturday.
The win was a sweet revenge for Port Moresby-based NSL champions after their 1-0 loss to Besta in their mid-week wash-out match last year.
The premiers now sit on 28 points followed by Besta PNG on 20, CPL Stars 19, Gigira Laitepo Central 19, Morobe 13, Tukoko Lae University 8 and Petro Souths 7.
In the early match in Lae, Petro Souths put on a never-say-die performance to upset NBS Tukoko University 3-1.
Speaking from Lae, Souths team manager Wale Molsie said he was happy to have picked up the second win of the season.
After giving the game away to MMJV Bulolo FC 2-3, Molsie said he was confident of picking more wins as the season progressed.
Petro Souths would have an hectic win with a wash-out match with Hekari on Wednesday and then on Saturday, they will face CPL Eastern Stars at Bisini soccer ground.
In Port Moresby, Gigira Laitepo Central Coast FC stunned the skillful MMJV Bulolo FC outfit winning 3-1.
Coming from a scoreless first half, Central Coast got an ear-bashing from coach Wesley Waiwai and senior player Alex Davani on their next plan of action.
In one such move by the Central Coast which is dominated by University players, the most under-rated flanker of the competition Harold Demo blasted a point blank shot past Bulolo goalkeeper Benneth ToBem.
Demo received a good cross from his fellow winger Aknil Passam to hit the ball with a right foot but was stopped by ToBem.
 The Popondetta lad rifled the ball with his left for the opening goal of the afternoon.
The game sea-sawed for a while but host Central Coast had other plans.
Striker Reginald Davani silenced all his critics by scoring the second goal following a good passage of play from reserve flanker Lawrence Moses.
Bulolo under coach Ludwig Peka did not give up. They continued to fight on through Clement Peka to narrow the score to 2-1.
The game could have gone either way until Mathew Yang was red-carded for pulling down Davani in the penalty box.
Nathaniel Lepani made no mistake to seal the match 3-1.
Bulolo had themselves to blame for not finding the target.
Yang, Yama Shong and Darius Edwin missed some very crucial shots in the opening half of the match.
Had they scored, the match could have gone the other way.
Peka said he was disappointed with the appointment of younger officials at such a high level competition and called on the NSL board and the NSL referee committee to appoint experienced second and third officials.