Havies salvage win over Cops
View(s):Marred largely by errors Havelocks SC salvaged to record a narrow 17-15 win against Police SC in a third week encounter of the SLR-MasterCard Club Rugby League 2024 played at Havelock Park last evening. The Cops showed grit, but after a sloppy start Havies regrouped to nail a close win with a tally of two converted tries and a penalty.
But it was the Cops who led the halftime by 8-5 after losing winger Ramitha Himash in the 16th minute, lowing their strength to 14 men for the rest of the game. Yet they posed a great threat by scoring from two tries, a conversion and a penalty, and almost snatched the game away from the home team with their powerful attempt that had over 20 phases in the final five minutes.
Police drew first blood in the 26th minute, two minutes after Havies lost a man from a forward move, resulting prop Hafiz Thabith to brace an unconverted try and take a 5-0 lead. Havies were brought down to 13 men with their second yellow card within two minutes, yet they managed to add points through a penalty in the 32nd minute from fullback Samuel Maduwantha to trail 3-5. A minute before the halftime, Police expanded their lead to 8-3 after a successful penalty from flyhalf Naveen Kanishka.
After the resumption Havelocks scored two back-to-back tries from forwards Abdullah Faiz and Azmir Fajudeen in the 44th and 47th minutes, and Maduwantha’s sharp kicks put the home team in front by 17-8. But the resilient Cops bounced back with a surprising try from scrumhalf Primesh Danushka, giving fullback Yehan Bulathsinhalage an easy range to make the conversion and close in 15-17, as Havies thwarted a possible scoring attempt and salvage a close win.