Viper Marabe sinks fangs into Isapeas

By KEITH PUARIA
STOP N Shop Port Moresby Vipers centre-cum-backrower Larsen Marabe scored a double in yesterday’s Digicel Cup opener to lead his newly adopted side to a comfortable 26-8 victory over the Gulf Isapeas in Port Moresby.
The 26-year-old Kumul looked right at home on the right side of the Vipers attack, scoring his first towards the end of first half in the 36th minute and then re-injecting more venom 11 minutes into second half with his second.
“Credit to the boys, everyone played their part,” Marabe said after match.
“It’s a good win for the team in our first game this season, and we‘ll take the week off to polish up for Gurias in week three.”
The Vipers are on the bye this week and face Gurias in the capital in round three.
The much anticipated city clash opened with as much spark as Moses Tau’s rendition of the national anthem in the pre-game ritual, until Vipers hooker Noel Joel dived over in the right corner of the southern end in the ninth minute for the first try.
Isapeas’ winger Pipi Kilori scored on the 20th minute off a well placed cross kick from lock Gerard Haoda to tie the scores at 4-4.
That set the tone for what promised to be a nail-biting affair.
Marabe’s first try towards the end of first half then took the teams to the sheds 8-4 to Vipers.
The second half was a case of deja vu for the Crocs however, as Marabe and interchange Toua Kohu scored two minutes apart.
The impact of a high turnover count and errors from the Gulf franchise took its toll eventually, Joel slicing through a yawning gap in the 65th minute through tiring defence for his second, and a 22-4 scoreline.
“Mipla letim mipla yet daun (we let ourselves down)”, a dejected Isapeas captain Moore Evara said.
“Mipla ting mipla go gut lo fes haf, tasol seken haf em difens winim mipla (we thought we were going okay in the first half, but continuous defence after losing ball possession beat us)”.
Tireless Isapea backrower George Aba barged over in the 76th minute for a consolation try, and a 22-8 margin before centre Richard Kambo put the issue to bed with his try for the 26-8 final score.
Evara and fullback George Kose were standouts in a losing side, while Vipers’ new recruits Marabe, young 2011 Gurias playmaker Israel Eliab and ball-playing forwards Joel and Kohu put in strong efforts for the capital city franchise.