Lavai bros steer Tigers to win over Magpies

By ROBSON AKIS
A LACK of big-game experience saw Gerehu Magpies buckle under pressure against experienced University Tigers in the Port Moresby Australian Football League competition at the Colts Oval on Saturday.
The Tigers won 3.8 (26) to 2.5 (17) in a match that could have gone the Magpies’ way.
Pies had opportunities to claim victory, but panic in their forward line saw many of their scoring opportunities go astray.
It was the all-round experience of PNG Mosquitoes captain John Lavai, who steadied the game for Tigers, and combined well with his younger brother Max Lavai in the Tigers’ last line of defence.
Pies had brilliant ball winners Kila Iga, Emmanuel Taviri and Bart Sovara dominating the midfield, but when play progressed into their forward line, they encountered a strong Tigers defence.
Tigers, on the other hand, had a free passage to the goal mouth, but Pies defender Emmanuel Vanua did well to prevent University from running away with the match.
Earlier in the day, youthful Port Power edged Gordon Kokofas 5.4 (34) to 4.3 (27).
It was a match which kept everyone in suspense as the lead changed hands several times until the dying stages when Power booted a goal to claim victory.
The win enabled them to secure fourth place on the ladder.
In the women’s matches, Koboni retained the top spot on the ladder with a 2.5 (17) to 2.0 (14) win over Gordon Kokofas.
The other women’s match was awarded on forfeit to Dockers after Tigers failed to turn up.
In Sunday’s matches, Dockers swamped Alavana Swans 11.6 (72) to 2.2 (14) and Koboni proved too strong for the Cats 7.4 (46) to 1.1 (7).
In the main match on Sunday, improving Gereka Bombers offered strong resistance against unbeaten ladder leaders Bismark Maritime West Eagles, only to go down fighting 3.1 (19) to 12.10 (82).
In the only women’s match, West Eagles thrashed the Magpies with an impressive scoreline of 11.5 (71) to nil.