Vipers suffer first loss

By PARKER TAMBUA
PORT Moresby Vipers were handed their first loss of the season when they went down to Hela Wigmen 12-16 in round three of the Digicel Cup in Port Moresby yesterday.
The Moni Plus-sponsored Vipers started the game strongly, scoring early through second-rower Philip Holmie in the nation’s capital.
But they paid for their high error rate and conceded cheap penalties thereafter as the Kroton-backed Wigmen scored three straight tries. The Wigmen led 16-4 in the 60th minute with a try each by Norman Brown, Valentine Wamdi and Junior Igila.
Halfback Solomon Pokari converted two of them.
The Vipers staged a late comeback in the final quarter of the game when centre Emmanuel Soli scored in the corner eight minutes from fulltime.
A successful conversion by Yunny Patrick from the sideline narrowed Wigmen’s lead to four points. The Wigmen were kept under pressure in the remaining minutes as the Vipers continued to attack.
Former SP Hunters forward Stanton Albert almost scored a crucial try for the Vipers under the uprights in the 73rd minute when he ran into a gap.
But rake Brian Gispe pushed the pass too hard that Albert could not catch the ball at speed. Just when the Wigmen thought they had won the game with 30 seconds to go, they gave away a silly penalty with winger Anderson Benford punished for taking too long in the play-the-ball area.
The Vipers almost pulled off a miracle right on fulltime when Soli contested a kick by Patrick.
Soli won the contest, but he dropped the ball in the in-goal while under pressure from Wigmen defenders. Wigmen coach Seth Rip said he was thrilled with the win. “It’s a big win especially playing against a tough side like the Vipers,” he said. But we still need to improve for our next game.”
Results: Sun, May 8 – Dabaris 28 Cutters 20, Tigers 32 Eagles 20, Lahanis 0 Isou 6, Mioks 8 Tumbe 4, Muruks 0 Gurias 18, Vipers 12 Wigmen 16.