A five star, five try second half performance was sufficient to take Navy (41) home against Police SC (28) in the Dialog Rugby League game played at Welisara.
Navy kept their winning streak at home intact as the Sailors’ masterclass second half meant Police still have just one win to their name this season.
The hosts were compelled to make changes as star centre Lee Keegal and young winger Buddima Priyarathne missed out due to injury “They have niggling injuries so we thought of resting them – Mothilal Jayathilake”, which made way for Kosala Thisera and Dinusha Fernando.
Photos: Navy SC v Police SC – Dialog Rugby League 2016/17 | #Match 30
Photos of the Navy SC v Police SC – Dialog Rugby League 2016/17 | #Match 30
Police were without Mushin Faleel due to injury while coach Sudath Sampath shuffled the back line moving usual centre Chula Susantha and usually flyhalf Sandesh Jayawickrama one place out to wing and inside centre respectively.
The Cops came out with intent and it showed as Radeesha Seneviratne crashed over following a rolling maul to score for the visitors in the 3rd minute of the game. Rajitha Sansony failed with the touch line conversion. (Navy 00-05 Police)
Navy hit back soon from the following restart through a scintillating try as Dinush Fernando dotted down under the post following some lovely build up play. Blind side winger Saliya Handapangoda chipped and chased to find Chanaka Chandimal. vision from the flyhalf meant he found Dinusha Fernando as the wingers and fly half combined to score. Thilina made no mistake with the conversion from under the post. (Navy 07-05 Police)
Police kept a lid on the hosts scoring two penalties from the boot of Rajitha Sansony which brought an end to a ding dong side to side half. (Navy 07-11 Police)
Half Time: Navy 07 (1T, 1C) – Police 11 (1T, 2P)
The second half was a more open affair which saw both teams trade punches with points but it was Navy who came up with the knockout blow to secure a rather big win but one that the score will not tell the story about.
Discipline was a thorn in the flesh for both sides as both teams conceded unnecessary penalties.
The next three scores of the game was yielded through penalties which took a toll on both teams.
Chanaka Chandimal was the first to react as the talismanic flyhalf took a quick tap and side stepping the defender to score in the near corner. Thilina Weerasinghe failed with the touch line conversion as Navy led by a solitary point. (Navy 12-11 Police)
The hosts made a schoolboy error from the restart as a Navy lad chased from in-front of the kicker, which Sansony made no mistake from in-front to regain the Police lead (Navy 12-14 Police)
The punches kept coming, as both teams scored converted tries from front row forwards. First Dulanjana Wijesinghe dived over off a lovely pass from scrum half Richie Dharmapala. Soon after big man, Udara Gayan crashed over the white wash following good build up play. (Navy 19-21 Police)
Navy grabbed the lead in the game through a penalty from Thilina Weerasinghe as the ever present Radeesha Seneviratne saw yellow for a cynical punch. (Navy 22-21 Police)
Hosts Navy took advantage in the period where Police was reduced to four-teen men as experienced heads Suranga Pushpakumara and Dhanushka Perera scored to make a double blow.
Replacement scrum half, Pushpakumara took a quick tap from his first touch of the game as he tapped and dived at full stretch to score beside the right hand upright. Thilina added the extras to gain the lead in the game. (Navy 29-21 Police)
An obstruction brought about a scrum for Navy as no. 7, 8 and 9 combined to score the next try. Dhanushka Perera and Suranga Pushpakumara combined with a lovely one-two following Nivanka Prasad’s break from the tail of the scrum. Perera’s try was converted by Weerasinghe with ease as Navy left police behind on the scoreboard. (Navy 36-21 Police)
Radeesha returned to the fray but it did not slow the hosts down as the next try sealed the game in favour of the home team. Chanaka Chandimal set up full back Thilina Weerasinge to dot down in the corner after having numbers on the outside. Thilina failed to convert even though the result had been a foregone conclusion. (Navy 41-21 Police)
Udara Gayan scored his second in the dying embers of the game but it was just a consolation try as pressure continued to build on Police who are languishing at the penultimate position in the table. Sansony made no mistake with the conversion. (Navy 41-28 Police)
Full Time: Navy 41 (6T, 4C, 1P) beat Police 28 (3T, 2C, 3P)
Thepapare.com Player of the game: Dhanushka Perera (Navy Flanker)
Coach Mothilal Jayathilaka expressed with joy after the game.
After been behind in the first half I told our lads with confidence “we have a pattern and if we abide to it we can get over the line”
When asked about preparation for the future games he mentioned “We have Air Force next, we will first think about them and then go game by game”
Points Breakdown
Navy SC
Tries: Dinusha Fernando, Chanaka Chandimal, Dulanjana Wijesinghe, Suranga Pushpakumara, Dhanushka Perera, Thilina Weerasinghe
Thilina Weerasinge 4 Conversions, 1 Penalty
Police SC
Tries: Radeesha Seneviratne, Udara Gayan 2
Rajitha Sansony 2 Conversions, 3 Penalties
 home against Police SC (28) in the Dialog Rugby League game played at Welisara.){kind=link}