Havelocks dump CR&FC and stay unconquered
The Havies were outstanding against Red Shirts - Pic by M.A. Pushpakumara
CR-Havies games are usually fiery ones. Yesterday’s game at Longdon Place which was won by the visiting Havelocks team 31-22 was not exactly red-hot right through. It could have been, but there were too many missed passes, stray passes and even a very poor throw in a line out, that robbed it of more excitement and glamour.
The Havies, at the end of it, remain unbeaten and their clash next Sunday against Kandy SC at Nittawela assumes tremendous proportions.
The Havies scored three goals and 2 tries as against the 2 goals, a try and a penalty scored by the CR.
The Havelocks were all over CR in the first half and dominated it. A halftime tally of 21-5 in their favour tells the tale. The CR perked up in the second half and made the contest closer. But, when the score had reached 26-22 and with just a few minutes to play, the Havies rallied for one final assault. Chamara Dabare was hovering near the line to collect Vimukthi Rahula’s delicate little chip and fall over. The fact that the conversion was astray didn’t really matter.
Havelocks had the edge in the early exchanges. They showed greater thrust and looked the more likely team to score the opener. A deep kick took play into the CR 22. A couple of phases later, centre Dinuk Amarasinghe, who was quite impressive for the winners, slipped the vital pass to winger Dabare to go over. Reza Mubarak converted for the early lead.
Hungry for more, the Havies stayed in the CR 22. They took play near the goal line and prop Dushmantha Priyadarshana crawled his way over a team mate’s body to touch down. Mubarak made it 14-nil.
The abiding memory of the first half was a brilliant 60 yard run by CR’s Kevin Dixon. He swerved and side-stepped more than half the opposing team. There was only one way to stop him, and that was through a desperate high tackle. Scrum half Vimukthi Rahula paid the price by being sin-binned.
A CR player just had to put his hand up and raise their flagging morale. Rahul De Silva, the dynamic scrum half, did just that. Off a scrum in the Havies 22, De Silva picked up, came round on the short side and went over. Ratwatte could not add to Havies’ discomfort.
Martis’ men had not finished. Prop Liston Flatney, came up with a powerful 35 yard run through the defence and touched down near the right upright. Mubarak failed with the conversion. That was it at half time (Havelocks 21 CR 5).
Ratwatte who was strangely subdued in the initial half, got more involved in the second. A high kick was badly misfielded by a Havelocks’ player who was air-borne. The ball was tapped to Ratwatte who streaked away sans much opposition. He converted himself (21-12).
Priyadarshana then took a hand in the play. The visitors used the rolling maul to good effect. Priyadarshana broke away from the pack to rush ahead and touch down for an unconverted try. (26-12).
A Ratwatte penalty reduced the deficit which, however, still remained in double figures. He missed another from the same spot moments later.
Ratwatte headed for the goal line once more but was brought down a few yards short. Substitute Gayan Dilshan had the formal task of touching down. The conversion took their tally to 22, but that was as far as they got.
The final nail in the CR coffin was Dabare’s second try which was the result of Rahula’s punt.