Kandy in hard fought win over Police
Defending title holders Kandy SC had to ward off an avenging Police SC, before recording a hard fought 22-12 win in their SLR Nippon Paint Club Rugby League match played at Police Park yesterday.
Despite being constantly countered, Kandy SC managed to take the first half advantage by 12-5, and scored from a total of three tries, two conversions and a penalty. The Cops scored from an unconverted try, before being awarded a penalty try to their final tally.
The Cops were in total control soon after the game kicked off, and their overcharging somewhat paced down after their three-quarter Shanaka Harischandra was handed a yellow card in the sixth minute. Tactically gaining control, Kandy SC were rewarded with a brilliant try from flyhalf Tarinda Ratwatte in the ninth minute. Ratwatte put it over himself to give Kandy a 7-0 lead.
But the visitors were flummoxed when they lost winger Kavindu Perera for a yellow card offence in the 13th minute, giving an opening for the Cops to score off hooker Rasith Silva three minutes later for an unconverted try to trail 5-7. Scrumhalf Srinath Sooriyabandara came into action with his canny moves to score an unconverted try in the 29th minute as Kandy went into halftime with a lead of 12-5.
Five minutes after the resumption, Police were rewarded with a penalty try, which scared off Kandy’s efforts as the score was levelled at 12-all. But making use of their experience, Kandy rallied as a unit to prevent the Cops from taking charge and scored when opportunities came in their way.
Tarinda Ratwatte, put over a penalty in the 63rd minute to give Kandy SC a slight edge 15-12, before going over to score a try and convert it by himself five minutes later to expand the lead to 22-12 hold it on till the end.