▁However , ▁they ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁get ▁past ▁second - pla ced ▁Eastern ▁Stars , ▁who ▁defeated ▁them ▁ 3 – 1 . ▁The ▁club ▁were ▁due ▁to ▁play ▁B esta ▁P NG ▁United ▁in ▁the ▁third - place ▁play off , ▁but ▁the ▁match ▁was ▁not ▁played . ▁It ▁is ▁imp lied ▁that ▁T uk oko ▁secured ▁third ▁place ▁overall ▁by ▁virtue ▁of ▁their ▁higher ▁league ▁position ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁B esta ▁P NG . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁opening ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 1 2 ▁season , ▁the ▁side ▁lost ▁ 3 – 1 ▁against ▁new com ers ▁Bul olo ▁United , ▁a ▁result ▁which ▁would ▁reflect ▁another ▁semi - cons istent ▁season , ▁in ▁which ▁clubs ▁faced ▁each ▁other ▁three ▁times ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁season , ▁rather ▁than ▁twice . ▁The ▁side ▁ended ▁up ▁in ▁fifth ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁table , ▁but ▁entered ▁the ▁knock out ▁stages ▁never theless , ▁although ▁it ▁is ▁unclear ▁why . ▁The ▁side ▁came ▁up ▁against ▁reign ing ▁champions ▁and ▁Minor ▁Prem iers ▁He k ari ▁United , ▁and ▁despite ▁fighting ▁hard , ▁went ▁down ▁ 3 – 1 . ▁In ▁the ▁third - place ▁play off , ▁the ▁side ▁took ▁B esta ▁P NG ▁all ▁the ▁way ▁to ▁a ▁penalty ▁shoot - out ▁before ▁losing ▁ 4 – 3 ▁after ▁the ▁spot ▁k icks . ▁ ▁With draw al ▁from ▁NS L ▁ ▁A head ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁National ▁Soccer ▁League ▁season