Tigers crush Wigmen in Lae

Sports

By LARRY ANDREW
A TRY double and perfect boot by five-eighth Joshua Mire helped hosts Lae Tigers crush Hela Wigmen 44-12 in round five of the Digicel Cup in the Morobe capital on Sunday.
The Lae Biscuit Company-sponsored home side started slow note that saw the Wigmen capitalise on their errors to send unmarked winger Norman Brown over for an unconverted try.
Another opportunity went the Wigmen’s way as they scored off the back of a fumble by Tigers fullback Sanny Wabo, but referee Leonard Alphonse ruled that the visitors were offside.
The Tigers began to dominate down the middle with captain Roy Kela, Tommy Moide, Doa Tapako, Micah Tom and lock Able Rami continuing to gain yardage at the Lae Rugby League Ground.
Calling the shots from dummy-half, hooker Jacky Winas crossed over for the Tigers’ opening points and Mire added the extras for a 6-4 lead.
Winas was in ominous form as he made a break and set up Mire for the Tigers’ second try, which the No.6 converted for a 12-4 lead.
The hosts finished the first half with rugby union convert and winger Max Vali scoring their third try off a kick by Mire who made to no mistake with the conversion as the Tigers led 18-4.
The Seth Rip-coached Wigmen were awarded a penalty after the Tigers were ruled to have committed an infringement near the uprights. Visiting No.6 Allan Simbiri ensured the conversion to cut the Tigers’ lead to 18-6.
Four minutes into the second half, Tigers Joseph Konz was sent to the bin for interfering in a tackle.
But despite being a man down, coach Oscar Tonga’s charges marched on as winger Aigaewa Palo intercepted the ball 19m from his own tryline to sprint 81m and score under the uprights. Mire added the extras for a 24-6 scoreline before centre Lynol Molpoyo crossed over for another converted try. The visitors managed to pull one back through centre Slyder Bulu and Simbiri made no mistake with the conversion as the Wigmen trailed 12-30 in the 61st minute.
Despite the binning of Kela, the Tigers sealed the win with converted tries to Kimisive and Mire, and a penalty conversion by the playmaker.