Sailors crash through to a huge win
- Pic by M.D. Nisanka
Backs Dinusha Fernando and Chanaka Chandimal posted hat-tricks as Navy SC recorded a resounding 81-23 win against a reforming CH and FC side in a second round game of the Dialog Division ‘A’ Club Rugby League Championship match played at Longdon Place yesterday.
The Sailors stamped their supremacy in the encounter but CH and FC too, despite coming in to the competition as a hapless unit, recorded their best score of the season, mainly by forcing to commit mistakes on their opponents and snatching six penalties and an unconverted try. The winners went on a try spree, bracing 13 tries and converting eight of them.
A mere minute into play and the Sailors touched down to score the first try of the day through their fly-half Chandimal, who later went on to score a second try in the latter part of the first half. Niwanka Prasad followed in hot pursuit and scored another try for Navy soon after. It was a barrage of tries for Navy with the forwards Dulanjana Wijesinghe and Supun Dilshan contributing to the first half massacre. The additional points were put over by fullback Thilina Weerasinghe.
CH mustered whatever courage and skill they had but they may need to go back to the drawing board if they ever want to achieve or revive rather their glory days. CH managed to sneak in two penalties and a try from scrum half Mohammed Rizwan gave them early points. Vishwa Denith, the fullback put his boots to good use and was the reason CH had double digits on the score board. But he may have been a bit overambitious with 50-metre penalties and drop goals but still his valiant effort commendable. The CH No.8, and former Navy player Rohitha Rajapaksa was tiring himself out by attempting to be all over the park although his effort did not really translate into points. Many a squandered opportunities by the CH team that could have capitalised on the Sailors basic errors. At lemons the score board read 45-13.
The second half was a tad bit slower but a minute into play CH was awarded a penalty and Denith’s kick bisected the post successfully. Navy didn’t stand the spike in their opponent’s scoreboard and Dinusha Fernando with a brilliant display of speed scored three tries. His team mate Chandimal Chanaka completed a hat-trick as well. Thilina Weerasinghe did not just bisect the post but also went over the try line once. CH huffed and puffed but could not blow over the formidable Navy team. Nisanka
