CR & FC in remarkable fight back to hold Kandy SC to 27-all draw

By Sajeewa Jayakody

CR and FC staged a remarkable fight back in the second half to hold table leaders Kandy Sports Club to a 27-all draw in their Dialog ‘A’ DivisionLeague second round match played at Longden Place yesterday after trailing 3-17 at the ‘breather.’

CR and FC points were made up from three goals and two penalties while Kandy SC replied with two goals, two tries and a penalty.

It was Kandy SC, who dominated the first half. They opened scoring in the third minute, when fly half Fazil Marija made a break and slung out a passto centre Richard Dharmapala, who scored by the corner flag. Roshan Weeraratne made a fine conversion and Kandy led 7-0.

Two minutes later, The Red Shirts reduced the deficit when centre Kanchana Ramanayake put over a 20-metre penalty.

In the 13th minute, Kandy SC increased the lead when South African flanker Christopher Cloete fell over for an unconverted try by the corner flag to make it 12-3.

Eighth minutes before half time, Kandy SC flanker Shashika Jayawardene crashed through for a try by the right corner flag. Weeraratne missed the conversion and Kandy SC was sitting pretty at 17-3 at ‘lemons.’

The second half was a remarkable come back by CR and FC. In the second minute, off a rolling maul, scrum half Rahul de Silva scored by the corner flag. Kanchana Ramanayake converted. And the score read 17-10.

Four minutes later, the lads from Kandy SC increased the lead when South African Christopher Cloete fired across a 40-metre penalty and Kandy SC led 20-10.

In the 13th minute, CR’s flanker Sasanaka Ariyaratne scored a superb try by the corner flag. Kanchana Ramanayake made a brilliant conversion to reduce the deficit (20-17).

Just two minutes later, Kandy SC widened the gap once again through a solo effort by fly half Fazil Marija who kicked ahead, followed it and picked up and collected to score under the posts to give Roshan Weeraratne an easy kick at goal.

Kandy SC were in the lead (27-17).

In the 30th minute of the second half, CR and FC’s Kanchana Ramanayake made no mistake with a 15-metre penalty to make it 27-20 in favour of Kandy SC.

Then came the CR and FC’s glorious moment, in the 38th minute, when centre Robbie Malneek pierced Kandy SC defence to score under the posts and centre Kanchana Ramanayake sent the ball sailing over the cross bar to make it 27-all at the final whistle to the delight of his team-mates.

Referee Irshard Cadar was escorted off the field as he was abused by a section of the crowd.