Lahanis get mojo back

By LARRY ANDREW
DEFENDING Digicel Cup champions Bintangor Goroka Lahanis regrouped after their opening round 32-20 loss to Enga Mioks last week with a 14-10 defeat of Lae-based SBSL Muruks in Lae yesterday.
The game started with both teams displaying a strong defence and a classic attacking to penetrate through each other’s territory with Lahanis led by captain Nicko Ubile combining with Gonzella Urakusie,Glen Nami and replacement Micah Siboni.
Ubile, a 2008 World Cup player, made his presence felt with a break which saw play start from deep in Lahanis territory to be only metres from the Mendi line.
From there the ball went through several hands creating an overlap for centre Thompson Teteh to score the first points of the match. Nami missed the conversion for a 4-0 scoreline.
Muruks not to be out done were awarded a scrum inside Lahanis 10m when a Kewa Kili bomb was spilled by Lahanis winger Spiro Mikaive giving the home side their opportunity.
Charlie Wabo set up his side’s response running from dummy half through several would-be tacklers before off-loading to Roderick Puname to score a converted try for the home side to lead 6-4.
The second half was anybody’s game as the men from Nokondi land applied pressure on the Southern highlanders opening a hole that put Danny Holle through to score from a cut-out pass from man-of-the-match Walter Hasu which saw Lahanis regain the lead 8-6.
Play see-sawed  until Mikaive who made up for his earlier gaff scored a brilliant solo try. The Kumul winger beat his opposite and outflanked the cover defence before kicking ahead, regathering and racing in to score under the uprights for Nami to convert for an eight-point lead 14-6.
With the clock ticking down Muruks forwards led by captain Joseph Omae launched an all-out assault on Goroka’s defensive line giving centre Matthew Puke enough time and space to score out wide.
Kili missed the sideline conversion for the Muruks to finish the match at 14-10.
Muruks player/manager Puname said their completion rate was under par with too many dropped balls  and loose carries giving the opposing team cheap possession and in great field position.
He said that put his side under pressure which saw them work over time in defence.
However, he said the performance was an improvement from the first round where a rusty Muruks outfit  were soundly beaten 31-10 by Lae Tigers.