Royal tame S. Thomas’ in Water Polo first leg
In a thrilling game, Royal College squeezed to a three goal lead to win 14-11 over arch rivals S. Thomas’ College in the first leg of the 8th Dr. R.L. Hayman Trophy Water Polo encounter at the Sugathadasa Swimming Complex yesterday.
A Royalist is about to score a goal - Pic by Ranjith Perera
S. Thomas’s opened the game with a bang in the third and fifth seconds when they netted two goals through Shohan Ebanezar and Dirhean Dias. But Royal too got off the mark with three quick goals scored by Jaffar Akthar (2) and Ovindu Lokuge. But Thomians equalised to end the first quarter 3-3.
While Royal added four goals to their tally Thomians managed to add only one goal to go into the third quarter 7-4. Akthar Jaffar, Omila Lokuge (a goal each) and skipper Savinda Dissanayake (2) scored for the Colombo 7 school.
The school by the sea coming back strongly to the game in the third quarter scored four goals and kept Royal in check. In the meantime Royal fought hard to score two goals through Savinda Dissanayake Athindu Hadunpathirana. Thomian goals were scored by Gihan Wijesinghe, Sivendran Saai, Randiv David and Adil Sohel. Royal ended the third quarter in the lead 9-8.
It was a goal scoring spree in the final quarter for Royal, who scored five goals while the Thomians added three goals making the game into the final whistle with the score on 14-11 in favour of Royal who will go into the second leg next Saturday at the same venue with a three goal lead.
For S. Thomas’ Shevan Ebanezar, Dias and Gihan Wijesinghe played their hearts out in an attempt to put the Thomians in the lead but held by Omila Lokuge (1), Dulvin Dahanayake (1), Yahiya Jaffar (2) and Savinda Dissanayake (1) who were the play makers for the winners.
Royal are the holders of the glittering R.L. Hayman Trophy which they won last year after five long years. Thomians lead the overall tally with 16 wins while the Royalists have eight.