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| Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
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Sports |  |
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Kandy in hard fought 23-6 win over CH by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr. Defending champions Kandy Sports Club had to fight all the way before posting a 23 points (4 tries, 1 drop goal) to 6 (2 penalties) win over CH and FC in their Caltex League 'A' Division rugby tournament match at Nittawela yesterday. At half time Kandy led 8-6. The final score line does not tell a true story as CH did not deserve to lose by such a big margin. They won a major share of the line outs through some fine play by Berty Jayasekera and Senaka Bandara and the scrums too they did well. It was on loose play that they lost ground and allowed Kandy to dictate terms in patches. The game turned out to be a closely contested affair and till the last quarter it was anybody's game with Kandy clinging on to a slender 8-6 lead, and a try by CH could have swung the game in their favour. But in the last 10 minutes of play three quick tries by Kandy through some breezing run by centre Pradeep Liyanage saw Kandy win comfortably in the end. The game started on a furious note with both teams dishing out red hot rugby. During this period Kandy was seen more on the offensive and kept play deep inside CH territory forcing a few line outs and scrums. But CH defence held and did not allow Kandy any liberties. In the 15th minute of his this half CH took play into Kandy territory and kept pressing. A desperate clearance by full back Nalaka Weerakoddy saw CH winger Udayakumara fumble with the ball. Kandy won the scrum with scrum half Prasad Chathuranga sent a pass to full back Nalaka Weerakoddy who executed a peach of a drop goal from 25 metres. Kandy 3-0. But two minutes later CH equalised when a Kandy player was spotted off side and fly half Harshana Wijeweera put over a 35 metre penalty. CH 3-3. Earlier Kandy lost lock forward Buddhi Thalagampola who had to be carried off the field following a neck injury. In the 21st minute CH took over the lead when again a Kandy player was blown off-side and fly half Harshana Wijeweera put over a 45-metre penalty. CH 6-3. Kandy at this stage appeared to be losing the grip and CH was seen on top often taking play into their opponents territory, but lacked the finesse. Again a clearance by Nalaka Weerakoddy saw skipper and Sajeewa Jayasinghe making a sweeping 40-metre run along the line brushing aside at least three defenders but was brought a few metres from the 'goal line'. From the maul lock forward Kapila Silva powered his way to score far right. Nalaka Weerakoddy's kick at goal just whizzed outside the posts. Kandy had once again wrested the lead 8-6. Kandy after a long period of lullness scored again in the 25th minute of second half when centre Pradeep Liyanage made a daring run across the field slipping tackles and slung a pass to winger Sanjeewa Jayasinghe who breezed along the line to dive over by the right corner flag. Full back Nalaka Weerakoddy brilliant kick at goal from a very difficult angle hit the uprights and went out. Kandy 13-6. Kandy scoring their third try in the 30 minute following a line out near left corner flag in CH territory which they won and their three quarters moved the ball from the left flank to right for centre Pradeep Liyanage to go over the line. Full back Nalaka Weerakoddy failed to add the extra points. Kandy 18-6.Play got a little scrappy at this stage. A few fisticuffs were seen being exchanged with CH's Achala Perera in action which went unnoticed by the referee. But it was CH's forward burly A. Thalagalarachchi who got caught and was sent on 'sin bin'. In the dying stages of the game, Pradeep Liyanage once again punched holes in CH defence and went over for his third try - mid left. Weerakoddy missed the conversion to give Kandy a 23-6 victory. Aruna Jayaskera refereed. |
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