Green Machine fights hard to beat Zahira
Not my style -- two Zahira defenders try to thwart an Isipathana player - Pic by M.A. Pushpakumara
Isipathana beat Zahira in a hard fought encounter by 17 (2 goals, 1 penalty)points to 7 (1 goal) points and to remain unbeaten in the Schools Division 1 B Group match played at Maradana. It was win in a game played in hot humid and hard underfoot conditions. The Park School marches on to keep a date to meet arch rivals St. Peter’s, who too remain unbeaten in this group. The point of happiness to the Pathana fans is that this match produced a reliable and capable place kicker whose presence was felt in their match.
The Green Machine went into half time leading 10-nil from a goal and a penalty. Zahira came into the second half with a changed plan of playing close and keeping the all with the force.
For 20 minutes in the second half Isipathana looked a side stuck with panic as they were unable get the backs moving. With a smaller set of forwards it was no easy task to stop the Zahira push forward. For 18 minutes of the second half it was a question of who will win.
This took the Park School boys to backpedal till Zahira lost its nerve and composure and two players were sent to the bin for repeated infringements in the 16th minute and another for a dangerous tackle before the 10 minutes were up. This allowed Isipathana to score and extend the lead to 17 points to nil which looked comfortable.
Zahira, in a mood not to give up, raised the dust but failed to convert opportunities into scores as the Pathana defence held ground with some hard tackling. This was evident through the game as both teams tackled the advancing attacks.
Isipathana was fast in both attack and defense. Zahira too had a strong back division and with the opposition getting up quick, they should have chipped the ball over the defence but the change from the usual was not in their system.
After nine minutes of even exchanges, Pathana moved the ball down to the corner flag and winger and Ramith de Silva cut in to score under the post and centre Manilka Ruberu converted to lead to 7-0.
In the 20th minute Ruberu kicked a penalty from 35 metres and Pathana increased the lead to 10-nil until the break.
In the 16th minute after the turnover Zahira prop P.M. Dilshan was sent to the bin for repeated infringements. In the 22nd minute Zahira flanker T.Zaid yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
In the 26th minute winger Ramith de Sliva scored his second try for Isipathana, finishing off by the flag and Ruberu made a difficult conversion look easy and it looked a comfortable lead at 17 points to nil.
After a series of foraging moves into the Pathana territory, Zahira centre Mohamed Sharik scored under the post and M. Minhaj converted to reduce the scores to 17 points to 7 and with the restart kick and after a few minutes of injury time play. Referee Praneeth Weranga blew the game and a victory to Isipathana.