Lions fail to roar at home
The National, Monday 29th April 2013
By ZACHERY PER
THE TNA Lions hopes of redemption at their Dickson Oval were extinguished by the Bintagor Lahanis 24-8 in muddy conditions yesterday.
A third straight victory for the Lahanis saw Lions supporters against chanting “Lahanis, Lahanis, Lahanis”.
Lions franchise owner, Gerard Philip had to explain why this side had suffered three straight loses.
Frustration boiled over when at half-time as Chuave MP and Vice Minister for Mining Wera Mori was about to present K100,000 to rugby league clubs, Philip turned off the generator supplying power to the public address system.
Mori could not present K25,000 to the Lions, K50,000 to the Lahanis, K10,000 to the Kangie Tigers and K15,000 to the Sikewake Hawks.
Lahanis winger Felix Tatsim made a clean break in the 7th minute and set up Kevin Inagafa to score. The try was converted by Bernard Tatsim as the Lahanis lead 6-0.
A Lions 17th minute 10-metre scrum saw Lahanis star Bernard Tatsim burrowing through to score. Five-eighth Joseph Peter converted to take make it 12-0.
The Lions then missed two try scoring chances before Lahanis centre Kevin Inagafa ran 70m and offloaded to Felix Tatsim to score. Joseph converted for an 18-0 lead at half-time.
The home side opened their account in the opening minutes of the second spell with a try to winger Ben Wemin to trail 4-18.
The Lahanis quickly replied through hooker Aimon Ian but failed to convert to make it 22-4.
The game was riddled with mistakes because of the wet conditions.
Wemin got his second try in the corner to make it 8-22 as Supa Takai failed to convert.
A Lions high tackle in the dying minutes saw Joseph Peter kicking the penalty to make it 24-8.