Limassol Crusaders vs. Paphos Tigers

Limassol vs. Paphos Tigers
18th October 2008
by Barrie Hattam

Limassol Crusaders 7 Paphos Tigers 33

Marcus Holden got the game under way with a great kick allowing the charging Tony Thoma to take the ball just over the 10 metre line and crash on forward through the Crusaders defence with play stopping when Deano was just short of the try line and penalised for not releasing.

Shortly after the Crusaders won the ball from a Tigers lineout but great pressure from Chris Thoma saw the Crusaders flyhalf drop the ball, the Tigers pounced for possession and quickly spun the ball wide for Adam Moffit to score in the corner after only 4 minutes play, Marcus converting.

The next 10 minutes saw both sides settling in and play evenly matched. On 15 minutes Tony Crassas made a great tackle on his opposite number in the centre and ripped the ball staying on his feet to beautifully present the ball to George Agathocleous who beat two defenders to score an unconverted try,12-0. The Tigers now really started to put the pressure, a great steal by Tony Thoma from a Crusaders lineout with quick feed saw Flyhalf Kyle Oleofse step inside the defence and send Tony Crassas in under the posts,Marcus converting, 19-0.

With just 20 minutes gone one could be forgiven for thinking this would be a rout, far from it, the next 10 minutes saw the Crusaders begin to exert more pressure up front and the game seesawing from end to end with good defence from both sides. From a defensive position George Agathocleous using his strength broke through several tackles and made 50 metre break before off loading to Adam Moffit for his second try, again Marcus converting 26-0. Two minutes later just before half time Chris Thoma cleverly stole the ball from a Crusaders scrum chipped ahead and Deano was on hand to collect the ball and carry it over the Crusaders try line, Kyle Oleofse was the scorer from the bottom of a pile-up,33-0.

The second half started well for the Tigers with a period of sustained pressure on the Crusaders but after a couple of scoring opportunities went begging the Tigers allowed the Crusaders forwards to slow the ball down and on 20 minutes the Crusaders went over for a converted try.The game drifted to an unspectacular finish 33-7.

Graham Boyle the Tigers Coach said “it was definitely a game of two halves ! but coming with only 16 players the lads did well, we’ll learn from this and build for the season ahead.”

Tony Thoma,the Tigers Captain, was the well deserved Tigers man of the match.

The Tigers are unbeaten this season, previous results are:

Tigers 50- Limassol Crusaders 0 (played on Tigers Funday)

Tigers 67- Beit Jala Lions 0 (Palestinian touring side)

Tigers 26-Episkopi Eagles 5 (pre season game)

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