Sailors sink Soldiers
View(s):By Aubrey Kuruppu
It was a dry, hum-drum affair for much of the game. Intermittently, there were surges of excitement either when the rampaging Army forwards crashed through the Sailors in their path, or when the Navy, who played a cool, unflustered game, started to attack with their skilled back division.
That the Navy won by 25 points (2 goals, 1 try, 1 penalty, 1 drop goal) to 24 (3 goals, 1 penalty) gives an indication of the closeness of the contest.
Army’s forwards led in the main by Jayalal and skipper Manoj Silva banged into the Sailors and, on some occasions, sent the defenders sprawling. Navy on the other hand, endeavoured to play a controlled, constructive game.
Navy's Lee Keegal strikes past Soldiers - Pic by Amila Gamage
This is Army’s second loss by a single point – having gone under to the CR in the season-opener by the identical score.
Army used their forwards to attack the line early in the game and were rewarded when Gayan Salinda booted over a penalty for that early lead.
A Navy kick ahead saw the Army skipper collect in front of the posts. But he made a hash of the clearance and condemned his side to fight tooth and nail to forestall a Navy score. When the latter’s efforts to touch down, failed, Tilina came to the side’s rescue with a neat drop goal (3-3). When play switched to the Army 22, the ball was sent out to centre Lee Keegel who breezed through, brushing off two half-hearted tackles.
Not for long, however, as Army’s centre Sanjeeva Hapugaskumbura intercepted a pass in his 22 metre area and sped ahead, showing a clean pair of heels to the defence. Salinda tied the score with his conversion. Navy took the lead in a matter of minutes via a Tilina Wijesinghe penalty.
Navy kept putting the Army defence under a lot of pressure, but Army held on stout-heartedly. Hooker Dulanjana Wijesinghe increased the lead by touching down far right. Tilina Wijesinghe converted for a half time score of 20-10 in Navy’s favour.
Neither side was able to add to the tally for about twenty minutes of the second half. Prop Asoka Jayalal smashed through the Naval cordon at the third time of asking. Salinda Gayan put that over too (20-17).
Army were fired up now and kept going for that score that would give them the lead. Their efforts were rewarded when winger Iranga Ariyapala caught a ball that bounced off another and went over. Gayan Salinda made it 24-20, and the Army, to all intents and purposes had sealed the match in their favour.
Navy somehow found a second wind. They were ten yards short of the line, when one of their players made a gentle, but intelligent, cross kick which was grabbed by Lee Keegel who fell over for the try that mattered. Wijesinghe failed with the conversion, and with the penalty that followed. No matter, Navy had done just enough to stay afloat.
Referee: Aruna Rankothge.