Returning Five-eighth Sehada Umagiliyage booted D. S. Senanayake College past S. Thomas’ College, defeating the visitors 13 (2T 1P) – 10 (1T 1C 1P) to secure a famous victory in the Dialog Schools’ Rugby League game, worked off at Havelock Park.
Both teams entered with plenty at stake, knowing that a win would help their cause towards progression to the next round.
The visitors got off to the best possible start, scoring early through winger Navarathna. The nippy three-quarter added the finishing touch to a well worked move, finding himself diving over the whitewash to open the scoring in the game.
Yehan Bulathsinhalage added the extras to make it a perfect 7 to start things off for the visitors from Mount Lavinia. (DS 00-07 STC)
The Donz struck back 16 minutes into the game as the Thomians’ concentration seemed to dip. Skipper Jayathu Rajaratna was the beneficiary as he added the finishing touches to a sweeping move from the home team.
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Wijeratne began with kicking duties. However, the winger failed with the extras as the hosts continued to trail by a slender 2-point margin. (DS 05-07 STC)
The home team doubled their try tally, taking the lead in the game for the first time as number 08, Thiven Perera, bundled his was over from a 5-meter scrum to score their second.
Umagiliyage assumed kicking duties. However, he too failed with adding the extras as the score remained at 10-points in favor of the Donz. (DS 10-07 STC)
Bulathsinhalage had the opportunity, but failed to add the penalty on the stroke of Half Time as the Thomians went into lemons trailing, knowing that nothing but a win would help their cause in qualifying through to the Super Round.
Half time: D. S. Senanayake College 10 (2T) lead S. Thomas’ College 07 (1T 1C)
The second half was an immensely tight affair as both teams traded blows. However, neither managed to knock their counter-part out of the encounter as the game was closer than first expected.
Bulathsinhalage pierced the posts early on during the second half to draw the Donz back to make it 10-all as the game started to swing from side to side. (DS 10-10 STC)
Sehada Umagiliyage had his opportunity on the 55th minute to push the hosts in front – however, his effort bounced off the posts as the Thomians were lucky to still be in the game.
10 minutes later, Umagiliyage kicked over the winning penalty as the game was headed towards the money end, leaving the fans at the end of their seat.
Thomian centers De Silva and Jayasinghe both saw yellow for two late tackles in the air, as the visitors were reduced to 13 men with minutes left.
The visitors had their chance off a penalty from in front. However, the ever reliable Bulathsinhalage missed in unlikely fashion, even though his body language looked to have missed the kicked before even taking it, leaving the visitors staring down the barrel.
The missed penalty was the separating factor as the Thomians faced defeat for just the second time this season, helping D. S. all but secure their place in the second round.
Full time: D. S. Senanayake College 13 (2T 1P) beat S. Thomas’ College 10 (1T 1C 1P)
NDB Player of the Match: Jayathu Rajaratne (D. S. Center)
Points Breakdown:
Donz: Jayathu Rajaratna 1T, Thiven Perera 1T, Sehada Umagiliyage 1P
STC: Navarathna 1T, Yehan Bulathsinhalage 1C 1P
 – 10 (1T 1C 1P) to secure a famous victory in the Dialog Schools’ Rugby League game, worked off at Havelock Park. ){kind=link}