Pathana back in top gear

Isipathana 22 - SJC 3

By Rangi Akbar

STOP ME IF YOU CAN. This Isipathana player is in full cry as he tries to flummox the Josephian defence at Havelock Park. Isipathana won the game 22-3. – Pic by Gemunu Wellage

Isipathana beat St. Joseph’s in their Inter-School rugby game at Havelock Park yesterday. The Joes staged a bitter battle which had the bigger built Isipathana lads scampering for cover. The score line of 22-3 is no indication, whatsoever, of the great hearted effort that the Josephians put in before the partisan crowd.

Isipathana collected their points through two goals, a try and a penalty. The Joes points came off the boot of Dilshan Perera.

The behaviour of a section of the Isipathana supporters left a sour taste in ones mouth. They booed and cat called the Josephian place kicker Dilshan Perera. It was Dilshan’s spot-on-kick which gave the Joes a dizzy 3-0 lead soon after the start. The Joes had another chance of further increasing their tally but Dilshan’s second penalty kick went astray amidst the loud booing which was meant to disturb his concentration.

In the dying stages the Joes loomed large as ever with their never-say-die attitude which upset the Isipathanania rhythm. Two players from the opposite camps went for each other and the referee Shamrath Fernando gave marching orders to the Isipathana player in the fracas. This sparked a furore amongst the Isipathana supporters who asked: “Both of them exchanged blows. How come only the Isipathana player was sent out?’

St.Joseph’s coach S.W. Chang ignored the incident saying: “This is rugby. A physical contact game, St.Joseph’s played really well. I think we can give Royal a tough time.”

St. Joseph’s led 3-0 in the early part of the game through a Dilshan Perera penalty. Isipathana stormed back to score a try through flanker Imalka Gunasekera off a move by Damith Udayanga. Reza Mubarak was on target with the conversion to put Isipathana ahead at 7-0. Reza kicked a penalty and Isipathana led 10-3.

Reza Mubarak scored next when he put the finishing touches to a blazing run by Vasantha Costa who cut through the Joes defence like a rapier through silk. Reza Mubarak added the extra points and Isipathana led 17-3. Dilshan Perera had another chance to pull the chestnuts out of the fire but he missed the easy penalty which came his way mainly due to the booing by the crowd. Half time was taken at this score.

The Joes reigned supreme with their rousing play which rattled the bigger built Isipathana lads to a great extent. The only try for Isipathana in this half came off Tusitha Abeysekera.

Isipathana made a clean sweep of the junior games played earlier winning them by convincing margins.