Joes fight back to break Pathana hearts
St. Joseph’s College shoved and charged their way through the Isipathana College defence to win 18-17, in a closely fought contest of a Singer Schools Rugby League match at Havelock Park, yesterday. St. Joseph’s scored from two tries, a conversion and two penalties while the Green Machine scored from two converted tries and a penalty.
Joes remain as the only unbeaten side after Round 1 - Pic by Priyantha Wickramarachchi
The first half saw some deft handling of the ball and quick runs by the Greens’ three quarters. This resulted in them scoring all their points before the break and going scoreless in the second half. Isipathana’s Chamath Kalhara opened the scoring when he received a loose pass from St. Joseph’s on the Pathana end of the field, and he sprinted 50 metres to score an under-the-post try. Senior contender Manilka Ruberu converted it.
Sloppy handling by the Joes gave Pathana ground. A dangerous tackle saw Ruberu receive another chance to further the lead. He scored the penalty from the 35-metre mark. However, just minutes later, St. Joseph’s replied with a penalty from Santhush Algama off a Pathana infringement, to give the home team their first points on the board.
As the first half progressed St. Joseph’s began to gain ground with their hefty forwards working the ruck. They kept pushing on and holding possession with the hope of forcing Isipathana to give away a penalty. The plan worked as an impatient Pathana defence made a desperate and careless tackle giving Joes a penalty, which Algama put through.
Isipathana regained control of the game with their three quarters, in what has come to be recognised as their trademark style of play over the years. A bad line-out from St. Joseph’s, seconds before half-time, gave Pathana captain Janith Serasinghe a break which he carried to the Joes’ try-line, and Ruberu assisted Manula Rathnayake for a beautiful try. Ruberu converted this from the 30-metre mark at the far left end. Isipathana led 17-6 at the break.
As the second-half got underway, an over-confident Pathana began to slack and relax. And it took Joseph’s only five minutes to score their first try. This came off forward Pavindu Ruberu as the St. Joseph’s forwards charged over the line. However, Algama missed the conversion under-the-post. Ruberu missed a chance to bag in three points as the Greens began to lose their venomous touch.
As the Blue and Whites kept trudging ahead with their forwards their second try came towards the last ten minutes of the game. This was scored by flanker Shehan Eranda and converted by Algama. The game’s intensity heightened in the final few minutes as Pathana received a couple of penalties, both of which Ruberu missed to the dismay of the fans who had come in their numbers.
Referee Rohan Fernando overlooked many dangerous tackles to the anger of the fans. The win meant St. Joseph’s go in to the second round as the only unbeaten side, after Royal College lost to St. Peter’s College in their game yesterday.