Royal sink Thora to clinch R.L. Hayman Trophy
A close 7-6 win over their arch-rivals S. Thomas’ in the second leg helped Royal College clinched the 28th R.L. Hayman Challenge Trophy at the Sugathadasa Swimming Complex last evening. Royal won the first leg 14-11 which gave them an overall 21-17 win in the two-leg event.
Winning the swim ball Royal started their mission in the second minute of play in the first quarter when Omira Lokuge (10) scored the first goal of the match. The Thomians equaled with with their No.6 Dirhean Dias in the fourth minute. Royal went in to the lead in the first quarter 3-2. Skipper Sawinda Dissanayake (8) and No.7 Akthar Jaffer (7) scored for Royal while Manula Wickremaratne (9) scored for the Thomians.
The second quarter of the game became scrappy as both sides missing the goal with erratic shooting and loose play. Afthar Jaffer and Saai Syvendran (5) been the scorers for Royal and S. Thomas’ in the second half. Royal took a slender 4-3 lead.
In the third quarter both sides managed to score only a goal each. Royal went ahead with a goal scored off a penalty by Lokuge. Thomian Manula Wickremaratne going through the Royal defence scored with a powerful shoot to end the third quarter 5-4 in favour of the Colombo 7 school.
The game became a thrilling battle in the final quarter, as both sides looked well organised. They exhibited high quality moves and shoots, that were missing in the first three quarters. Akthat Jaffer started with a goal while skipper Sawinda Dissanayake shot a beauty, making the Thomian goal-keeper a mere spectator.
Manual Wickremaratne added another goal for the Thomians’ tally with a goal off a penalty and No.11 Chariya Kulakulasuriya scored a goal in the dying moments of the game. The final whistle was blown with the scores standing with Royal in the lead 7-6.
In the Under-15 encounter played prior to the big clash S. Thomas’ won the Mahinda Liyanage Trophy with an overwhelming overall tally of 30-5.