Hunters see off Tweed

THE SP PNG Hunters held off a fast-finishing Tweed Heads Seagulls 22-18 yesterday to stay in the top six.
The round 22 Q-Cup fixture at Piggabeen Sports Complex was a must-win for the visitors and coach Michael Marum would have been a little nervous when his side let in two soft tries in the first quarter to trail 10-0.
Tweed fullback Alex Grant embarrassed the Hunters’ left edge with a diagonal run, swatting off would-be defenders before planting it in the corner.
The Hunters left edge was exposed again when the home side capitalised on an overlap for centre Kody Parsons to dive over and this time halfback Rex Johnson, standing in for Kane Elgey, slotted the conversion for a handy lead by the 15th minute.
Needing to get back into the contest against a side who were dominating with 60m and 70m sets, centre Adex Wera, pictured, got his side on the board in the 20th minute with a try that was sparked out of dummy half by hooker Wartovo Puara Jr.
Puara caught the Seagulls defence on the back foot after two good runs by wingers Brendon Gotuno and Junior Rau, and broke down the right edge before passing inside to a supporting Wera.
Captain and five-eighth Ase Boas converted and added a penalty in the 32nd minute to get the Hunters to within two points of the Seagulls.
The decision to take the penalty was then vindicated as the Hunters got field possession inside the opposition 20m and Gotuno crossed in the right corner with six minutes left in the half as the Tweed Heads defence was stretched.
The Hunters took a 12-10 lead into halftime and were the first to score after the break thanks to halfback Watson Boas, who charged down a kick and re-gathered to run 40m to the line in the 47th minute for Marum’s side to push out to an 18-10 lead.
Watson Boas bagged his second four-pointer in equally fortuitous fashion when he reeled in a Tweed fumble close to their line in the 62nd minute to run in his side’s fourth try.
At 22-10 in front, the Hunters headed into the final quarter looking to consolidate their lead but Tweed Heads led by the rangy Bryce Cartwright grabbed the initiative and the momentum swing was evident as hooker Jack Cook sliced through some shoddy defence to score 10m to the right of the uprights in the 68th minute.
Despite No.7 Johnson inexplicably missing the kickable conversion, the Hunters could not stem the Tweed surge as Cartwright skirted the sideline on a 20m run to post a try in the corner getting his side to within four of the lead.
Tweed No.1 Grant lost the ball a metre from the line in the final play giving the Hunters a reprieve as referee Michael Gordon blew time.
Tweed Heads Seagulls 18 (Alex Grant, Kody Parsons, Jack Cook, Bryce Cartwright tries; Alex Johnson con) PNG Hunters 22 (Adex Wera, Brendon Gotuno, Watson Boas 2 tries; Ase Boas 2 con, pen)
Round 22 Results: Sat, Aug 11 – Ipswich Jets 42 CQ Capras 28, Townsville Blackhawks 18 Redcliffe Dolphins 20, Mackay Cutters 12 Northern Pride 24; Sun, Aug 12 – Sunshine Coast Falcons 24 Easts Tigers 26, Souths Logan Magpies 12 Burleigh Bears 22, Tweed Heads Seagulls 18 PNG Hunters 22, Wynnum Manly Seagulls 26 Norths Devils 24.