Patana demolished

Defending champs St Peter’s continued their winning streak and cleared one of the toughest hurdles in the ongoing inter-school rugby season when they demolished Isipathana by 18 ( 1G, 1T, 2 P) points to 3 (1P) in a crucial match played at Bambalapitiya yesterday. The winners led 7-0 at the breather. The win also puts the Peterites as the top contender to retain the league title for yet another year.

The much looked forward to game aroused immense spectator interest due to the capabilities of both sides. Since the schools rugby season got underway this was the biggest draw on the card so far. After the conclusion of the game it was evident that the Peterites had done their home work and come well prepared. The visitors though said to be having the best three quarter line in the schools circuit were given little chance to settle down. The Petes had more opportunities of increasing their tally but even two penalties which could have been booted over were fluffed the first in the fifth minute by full back Harsha Weerakkody which was an easy one, but the next one tried by fly half Irfath Meedin was over 40 metres and just missed.

Nevertheless it was the defending champs Petes who drew first blood when in the 26th minute winger Gerald Canute crept through in a melee having received a pass from his team mate to go over for a try under the post. Harsha Weerakkody made no mistake with the conversion. This was all the scoring done in the first half.

With Petes holding on to a slender lead a rousing finish was being expected in the second session. The Havelock Park boys got into action and succeeded in decreasing the lead with full back Reza Mubarak booting over a penalty just two minutes after the game resumed. But the home team not to be outdone put pressure on their opponents with Irfath Meedin booting a penalty offered six minutes later and then increased the lead with another penalty put over by Meedin again.

The Isipathanians forwards had no chance as they were well marked by the staunch defence of the Peterites which made it difficult to make any scoring. Two penalties offered to both sides were grassed with Isispathana’s Mubarak and Meedin’s kicks going astray. The Peterites who were in the attack for a major part of the second half were at last rewarded when during injury time flanker Poornaka Delpachitra ran over for an unconverted try after having received the ball from a five metre line out with which referee Aruna Jayasekera blew no side giving the home team a well deserved win.