Hunters edge Magpies at NFS

By ISAAC LIRI
A BIG roar sounded around the National Football Stadium with the fulltime siren when the PNG Hunters held on to defeat a classy Souths Logan Magpies 12-8 on Sunday.
Tagged as a clash between two likely finalists, both coaches Hunters Michael Marum and Magpies Jon Buchanan agreed that the match could have gone either way with each side scoring two tries with the difference the boot of Ase Boas, who kicked two conversions in windy conditions.
“After three big wins this game was the toughest, the Magpies gave us a really good challenge but I think our defence was the thing that got us home in the end,” Marum said at the post match presser.
The fourth-placed Magpies, who are yet to beat the Hunters in a Q-Cup fixture, came determined and led by fullback Jamayne Isaako and five-eighth Matt Minto almost pulled off the upset against the SP-sponsored side.
“I think it was one of the best games of footy we’ve played so far this year. Probably wasn’t one of our prettiest games of footy in attack but I thought we were very willing in defence and that’s what we’ve seen with the end result,” Buchanan said.
Great defence from both sides saw the game scoreless up until the 18th minute when Hunters wing Bland Abavu finished off a left edge raid that saw some smart passing for the 195cm tall back to touchdown. Boas duly converted despite the blustery conditions.
Magpies wing Luke Archer hit back for his side off a backline move that got going from a scrum.
Isaako missed the difficult sideline conversion and the Hunters held a slender 6-4 lead at halftime.
In a continuation of their torrid first half clash the homeside managed to wrangle a try in the 63rd minute thanks to some quick hands and diving effort by Israel Eliab.
Boas was again on target and the Hunters were 12-4 in front.
But this was never going to be a high-scoring encounter and when Isaako showed his pace and sleight of hand to score with 10 minutes to go – the game was truly anyone’s.
The visitors tried valiantly to break their Hunters hoodoo but to no avail as the Q-Cup leaders saw out the remaining minutes.
PNG Hunters 12 (Bland Abavu, Israel Eliab tries; Ase Boas 2 con) Souths Logan Magpies 8 (Luke Archer, Jamayne Isaako tries)