Pride arrive

By PARKER TAMBUA
SEPIK Pride started their debut season in the Digicel ExxonMobil Cup in style with a 14-8 win over the Gulf Isou at Santos National Football Stadium yesterday.
The round 1 fixture saw the EMK Construction-sponsored side trail 0-8 for the majority of the match before veteran hooker Wartovo Puara Junior marshalled his side to produce three unanswered tries over the final 20 minutes to win the match and send their fans into a frenzy.
A tense and taut first half saw little go right for either side as a combination of nerves and some rustiness resulted in poor execution and a lack fluidity on attack.
The Isou got on the board first courtesy of a penalty goal by fullback Gabby Taune in the 15th minute for a 2-0 lead which they took into the change rooms at half-time.
Pride had a number of opportunities in the first 40 minutes and early in the second half to cross the line but the absence of playmaker Watson Boas, who was a late scratching, impacted the Pride halves and their ability to direct and organise sets – especially final-play options.
Isou’s spine led by five-eighth Justin Yoka and Junior Belo in the halves and Dobi Michael at hooker were equally disjointed in their efforts. The first try was unsurprisingly the result of a mistake after the Gulf No.6 jolted the ball loose from a Sepik ball-runner and picked up the pill and sprinted away before handing off to a supporting Eliakim Lukara to score in the 55th minute.
Taune added the extras for Isou to take an 8-0. Pride responded five minutes later through Joe Frank.
The centre dubbed “Frank the Tank” scattered Isou defenders close to the line after chiming onto a sweeping backline move to send Pride fans into raptures; Frank also went down in the club’s annals as its first try (and points) scorer.
The Pride scored again in the 66th minute courtesy of a set move by Puara and fullback Roy Ellison which put centre Elijah Iwa on a one-on-one with his opposite close to the chalk, and the Sepik midfielder was able to muscle his way over the line.
Halfback Dickson Amea failed to convert both Pride tries leaving an 8-8 score line.
The match looked like it would be decided by a kick of the field goal variety, but instead was decided off a bomb put up by Amea which swirled in the midafternoon breeze and proved a nightmare for Isou winger Kenny Laho and No.1 Taune to field.
The oncoming Pride chasers hacked the spilled ball deep into the Isou 20m zone and gold-tipped winger John Paul snatched the loose ball to ran around under the uprights to score the math-winner.
Paul, who had been active throughout the clash with his runs and enterprising play, was named the man-of-the-match. Pride coach Joe Bruno said he was proud of his side’s effort to stay composed and fight their way back.
“This is not a grand final, yes we are proud and excited to win our first game but there’s a long season ahead so we are not going to get carried away with this win,” Bruno said.
Meanwhile, Bruno said Boas was not allowed to take the field by PNGNRLC an hour before kick-off but would not elaborate further on the matter.