Funeral Home Laumas experience helped the team to walk all over the Isou Development 16-6 in Southern Super League elimination final at the Moresby South Stadium on Saturday.
Laumas had to really fight to survive the sudden death as most of their players were involved in NCD Governors Cup and preparations towards the elimination final was just not there but their wealth of experience had the edge over Isou.
The Funeral Home sponsored outfit will now meet minor premiers Vipers Academy in another do or die confrontation with the winner to advance to the next weekend’s final showdown. Isou’s are out of the premiership race.
The team from Erima with the wealth of experience in captain Junior Yambe, Junior Belo, Junior Arova Jojo Forova, Francis Aihi, Supa George Fabian, Samson Pirika and former PNG Kumul Josiah Abavu applied pressure against the young opposition leading 8-0 at half time.
Five-eighth Belo hit the target with two successive penalty goals (16th & 24th minute) to lead 4-0. Then outside centre, Sanny Wabo crossed over to make it 8-0 going to the break.
Isou forwards error rate in drop balls had caused them the valuable opportunities and players like Samuel Kiap, Olo Kuman, Billy Eka, Mondo Merisuo, Graham Sinori, Emmanuel Parua and Ricky Ako should be blamed for the loss.
They were punished time and again by the veterans all over the park.
In the second half on the 58th mark nippy half back Pirika sliced through the Isou line to touchdown for an unconverted try to put them ahead 12- 0.
After several minutes Isou replied with wing Charlie Horope away from the sticks and Jeffery Parah successfully converted to trail 12- 6 in the 67th mark.
And with 13 minutes remaining Laumas wonder boy Forova out stepped and outpace the opposition from perfect drop ball and scored but his celebrations denied by referee Koivi Vincent recalled back to the 20 metres infringement.
Vincent disallowed the four pointer and continued play with tackle restart, which was wrong but the Laumas, accepted the decision.