Easts Tigers beat PNG Hunters 22 – 16 at the ‘Graveyard’

The Eastern Suburbs Tigers have beaten PNG Hunters 22  - 16 at the Hunters home grounds Kalabond oval.

This is the second time the Hunters have lost on home soil. The Hunters were first beaten by Prides on the same ground .

The Hunters  were first to score  early in the game when David Loko pounced on a ball to run 60 meters to give the Hunters first points after only four minutes.

Tigers hit back in the 15^th minute when they scored on the wing. The conversion was successful to level the scores.

But the Hunters were soon in again in the 26^th minute when Willie Minoga barged over to put his team back in the lead. Noel Zemming added the extras to lead 12-6.

Four minutes before half time, the Tigers scored on the left hand side again off some quick play which caught the Hunters off guard. The conversion was unsuccessful leaving the scores at 12-10 going into half time.

Seven minutes into the second half saw the scores level at 12-12 when a third straight penalty against the Hunters.

Several minutes later, the Tigers hit the lead for the first time this time scoring through the right wing to settle the scores at 16-12.

But the Tigers weren’t done yet as they pounced on the Hunters in the 57^th minute to widen their lead  20-12.

Tigers managed to dominate the remaining last quarter of the game as they sealed an early victory converting a penalty kick in the 68^th minute to lead 22-12.

The effort to chase down a 10 point deficit proved too much for the Hunters who have now suffered their second consecutive loss and risk slipping out of the top five pending results from tomorrow’s games.

The Hunters will  regroup to face the competition leader Northern Prides in a Channel Nine televised game next week in  Australia.