Kumuls edged by Knights in first game

PNG LNG KUMULS coach Michael Marum said his side did not perform to expectation in its 16-12 loss to the England Knights on Saturday.
Marum said while his side may have kept the visitors scoreless in the second half an inability to execute their game plan and control tempo decided their fate.
“We let in some soft tries in the first half and in the second half, even though we kept them scoreless, we couldn’t get over the line ourselves,” Marum said.
“Credit to the Knights, they controlled the game well. Their halves (Declan) Patton and (Chris) Atkin were really good. We defended better in the second half but we didn’t take our chances and they knew how to close the game down.”
First half tries to Knights centre Liam Suttcliffe and wingers Tom Lineham and Tom Davies and two conversions by five-eighth Declan Patton in the end was enough for coach Paul Anderson’s side to come away victorious at the Lae Rugby League Ground.
The venue also did not fill to capacity as expected with an estimated 4000 turning up.
The Kumuls scored three tries through debuting winger Brendon Nima and second-rower Moses Meninga in the first half and debutant five-eighth Edwin Ipape in the second half but none of them were converted with halfback Watson Boas having an off day with the boot.
“Watson didn’t kick well. He missed everything while the England kicker managed two. You can’t do that at this level,” Marum said.
“We’ve got no one to blame but ourselves. The boys were disappointed with the result and we spoke about how the game went and everyone is eager to make up for it in the second game.”
Nima managed to beat England three-quarters Lineham and Suttcliffe after taking a catch-and-pass from Nene Macdonald off a Watson Boas cross-fied kick for his first try for PNG in the 13th minute.
Nima’s joy was soon extinguished when he inexplicably let a Chris Atkin grubber bounce ingoal for a chasing Suttcliffe to ground for the Knights’ response.
Patton’s sideline conversion gave the visitors a 6-4 lead in the 22nd minute.
While the Kumuls pack had little trouble making metres, the backline did not use the space and momentum as effectively coming up with errors or poor fifth tackle options.
Props Enoch Maki, Stanton Albert and back-rowers Moses Meninga, Nixon Put and Wellington Albert made good metres but England managed to contain the Kumuls attack for the most part.
Meninga got the home side in front again after running off an Ipape off-load from 20m out to put PNG 8-6 ahead in the 26th minute.
Watson Boas sliced the conversion from infront much to the chagrin of the crowd.
England hit back with 103kg wing Lineham going in untouched after the Knights caught PNG’s right edge short in the 31st minute.
Patton missed his second sideline conversion but the Knights were ahead 10-8.
The Englishmen had the last say of the half with winger Davies taking a cut-out pass from impressive fullback Niall Evalds to dot down in the right corner which No.6 Patton converted for a 16-8 lead at halftime.
The second half was characterised by missed opportunities and close calls.
Kumuls No.6 Ipape scooped up a loose ball and crossed for a try in the 49th minute to get the home side to within four of the lead.
What looked like a fair try by Nima was called back by referee John Stone after Macdonald’s pass was ruled to have gone forward.
A Watson Boas break could have resulted in a try but he did not pass to a supporting Justin Olam or David Mead instead opting to kick ahead with the ball going dead.
England’s halves then played for territory and slowed the tempo down to earn a solid win and take a 1-0 series lead.
PNG Kumuls 12 (Brendon Nima, Moses Meninga, Edwin Ipape tries) England Knights 16 (Liam Suttcliffe, Tom Davies try, Tom Lineham tries, Declan Patton 2 con). HT: 16-8 (Knights) at LRLG.