Bombers scramble
By HENRY MORABANG
LAE Builders and Constructors (LBC) Bombers are clear leader in the SP Cup competition after its narrow win over Coca Cola Lahanis 10-8 at Lae Rugby League Oval yesterday.
In Port Moresby, Agmark Guria surged into second spot after a gutsy 20-all draw with Monier Broncos while Mt Hagens Chemica Cowboys registered their first win 28-14 over Mabey Mendi Muruks in the first match of the double header in Goroka.
In Gorokas second match, the Brian Bell Bulldogs survived by a field goal to beat a fired-up Toyota Mioks 24-23.
At Lloyd Robson in Port Moresby, spectators got their moneys worth of entertainment as Monier Broncos struggled in the second half to come back to force a draw 20-all.
The match could have gone either way with players from both sides causing too many ball-handling errors and having to pay the price of working overtime to defend their territories.
Broncos registered the first point of the afternoon after referee Tony Kuni caught the Guria defence off-side. Fullback Nixon Nagle made no mistake to convert the penalty to lead 2-0.
The Port Moresby team was on fire, resulting centre Eki Ene opening the try-score book. His try came from a brilliant play when winger Wilfred Henry beat Guria defence before off-loading to Raphael Terminator Mua who then passed to skipper Kawage Gagma, who was tackled in front of Guria goalpost.
From a tap play-the-ball, hooker Toua Kohu off-loaded to Edea Morea, who put Eke Ene through to score the first try to lead 6-0.
The game was tight as both sides executed good driving tackles which always caught the attackers back-paddling.
Mua who, started the last two games from the bench, sent the message to coaching staff that he was not meant for the bench when he again showed a clean pair of heels to initiate Romalus Magos try.
The Broncos interchange forward broke Guria defence before off-loading to Mago, who flipped a back-pass to Bafinu Ilai who beat Guria fullback Menzie Yere to off-load back to Mago to dive in for a converted try under the post to lead 12-0.
Before Guria ran out of steam, ever-green Jessie Alunga who hasnt lost his touch of the NGI days, weaved his way to set fullback Yere, who fend-off some half-hearted tacklers including his opposite number to score to trail 4-12.
In the second half, both teams copped up too many unnecessary penalties but good defence from both sides prevented them from scoring points.
Gurias stocky second rower Opisa Pomba then weaved his through Broncos defence to narrow the score 12-8 and halfback Alunga raised the flag to bring the score to 12-10.
Pombas try shifted the Guria attack into second gear to see Lucas Solbat setting Wesley Totori for a corner try, followed by Jessie Alunga who converted his own try to bring the score to 20-12.
The Broncos could easily have collected six points from penalty right in front of Gurias goalpost but poor option cost them the game.
There were 14 minutes remaining when Broncos came back into the game.
Five-eighth John Benjamin, after serving time in the sin-bin, was fired up and executed driving tackle on Gurias Junior Polong into his in-goal area.
From the drop-kick, Broncos halfback Edea Morea caught the ball and ran straight at Alunga, who executed a dangerous throw in the tackle.
Referee Tony Kuni was on the spot and penalised Guria, which saw Benjamin narrowing the scoreline 14-20.
From the restart, Guria fumbled the ball and the Broncos came up with it. From the ensuing play, hooker Kohu, who plays for the Hanubada Hawks, barged his way over the tryline to reduce the margin to two points at 20-18.
Five-eighth Benjamin made sure of the conversion to level the score 20-all.
The Broncos then had the opportunity to win by a field goal but interchange Ilais attempt was way off mark.
The points ladder is LBC Bombers 6, Agmark Guria 5, Monier Broncos 5, Brian Bell Bulldogs 4, Toyota Mioks 4, Chemica Cowboys 2, Coca Cola Lahanis 0, Mabey & Johnson Muruks 0.
