Tumbe eliminate Gurias

WAGHI Tumbe ended Rabaul Gurias’ season with an 18-8 win in the Digicel Cup elimination finals at the Oil Search National Football Stadium in Port Moresby yesterday.
Recording their ninth-straight win, Tumbe put on a dominant performance that saw them take lead from the start.
The Jiwaka government-sponsored side scored early in the match through winger Robert Koronos and five-eighth David Joseph’s conversion made it 6-0.
The Gurias responded through Elias Stanley who scored in the corner in the 15th minute, however, Gurias forward Francis Takai couldn’t convert the try as they trailed by two points.
The Gurias showed a lot of spirit in the lead-up to halftime with a couple of line breaks but they couldn’t score points off those opportunities.
Tumbe centre Valentine Wamdi didn’t waste his opportunity when he evaded a couple of Gurias defenders and ran across the field to score under the uprights.
Joseph’s conversion made sure Tumbe led 12-4 at halftime.
The second half was all Tumbe as they dominated field possession. Tumbe’s forwards, led by former Lae Tigers forward Tiger Emere, Supa Kokote and Francis Kembis, were brutal in the battle up front which kept their side on the front foot.
Tumbe extended their lead to 18-4 when Bobby Joel scored beside the uprights and Joseph once again was successful with the conversion.
The Gurias only scored a consolation try in the dying stages through hooker Nathan Tente but Takai missed the conversion.
Interim Gurias coach Jessy Alunga was proud of his men despite bowing out of the season.
“We faced a lot of challenges with the Coronavirus pandemic which affected our pre-season preparations but we are happy where we finished,” he said.
Alunga said they could only reflect on the season and improve for next year.
“But congratulations to Tumbe for the well-deserved win,” he said.