14-men Kandy survive Air Force scare in lackluster affair
Unbeaten Kandy Sports Club continued their winning ways to edge out Air Force SC by 24-18 in their Nippon Paint Inter-Club Rugby League encounter at the Nittawela last evening.
The winners led 12-6 at halftime and scored their points from four tries and two penalties, while the avenging Airmen responded with two tries, a conversion and two penalties.
Though Kandy recorded yet another win, it was a pathetic display from the defending champions where the visitors almost took away the win at one stage in front of their half-filled stadium. Their handling errors in both halves were way too many, and never looked a champion outfit. They hardly found touch for their good work done from their forwards, while losing forward Bhawantha Dharmapala for the rest of the game from the 45th minute. Yet Kandy should consider themselves lucky to pull the game off by six points.
Meanwhile, Air Force played their hearts out, and took better shares in line outs but in scrums they lacked coordination. Meanwhile their ball retention too was very good as their ball handling.
Scrumhalf Nuwan Perera put Air Force in the lead early in the fourth minute with a 25-metre penalty. Ten minutes later he missed a similar attempt, but 30 metres out. Kandy replied through a try by centre Tarinda Ratwatte, who also made the conversion to take the lead 7-3. In another sweeping three-quarter move winger Lavanga Perera dashed through Air Force defence which was all over. Five minutes later Airman Perera reduced the lead with a 30-metre penalty to make it 12-6.
After the turnaround and many stoppages wingers Kavindu Perera and Dinal Ekanayake scored a try each for Kandy. Tarinda Ratwatte was on target with one conversion. Meanwhile centres Kalana Chamoditha and Gayantha Iddamalgoda scored one try each for Air Force. Nuwan Perera was on target with one conversion.