Young CH & FC outfit could not hold onto the experienced and skillful Kandy men as they were beaten by 71 (T11, C8) to 05 (T1) points in their Dialog Rugby League match played on Saturday at Maitland Crescent.
CH & FC hosted their very first match at Maitland Crescent this season after their foreign players had to fly back to their respective countries due to the club’s lack of financial support. Kandy, on the other hand rested four Tuskers namely Fazil Marija, Gayan Weerarathne, Nigel Ratwatte and Anurudda Wilwara. Also their new recruit Koto Pongi, Tongan who has been playing his professional rugby in Japan made his Lankan debut delivering a big impact partnering with the Kenyan Oscar Ouma.
However, it was former Royalist, Arshad Jamaldeen’s day as he was the main architect at Marija’s absence. Arshad created space and foxed the opposite no.10 & 12 to squeeze in a good 20-meter run and his long pass found the full back Tharindu Chanaka to score the first try with only two minutes on the clock. In the 10th minute Kandy started to increase their attacking gameplay where Pongi’s pass was collected by Lavanga Perera who beat three CH defenders and his off load to Pradeep Liyanage was good enough for the veteran to score in the right flank. Arshad made no mistakes with the conversion. (Kandy 14 – 00 CH)
Kandy forwards were brilliant right throughout the game including skipper Sean Wijesinghe, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Kishore Jehan and Buwanaka Udangamuwa. Kishore and Uchitha were involved superbly together to score the 3rd try as Kishore’s off load to Uchitha was perfectly snapped by the Kandy forward to barge over. Another fabulous break by the outside-half Arshad who ran sideways dummying a loop-pass to Liyanage and instead his long pass to Danushka Dayan secured the bonus point just in 22 minutes of play. (Kandy 26 – 00 CH)
Once again forwards provided good support in attack as a result Liyanage with his zigzag steps scored his second try. Ouma played as a flanker in defense and joined the line in attack, but he went too harsh on a tackle at Hamza Hassan inside the CH try line. Sean Wijesinghe’s quick tap and run in the opposite 22-meter territory was well supported by Roshan Weerarathne and Oscar Ouma finished off a great team try to score minutes before the half time.
Half-time: Kandy 38 (T6, C4) – 00 CH
The hosts showed great aggression in the early second half despite yet they could not convert the momentum into points until a 25-meter penalty kick was put in to touch line by fly-half Dinesh Lakshan which started off a try-scoring move. Dinesh started the game due to their first-choice number 10 Rimzie Jamaldeen was out injured. Lakshan did not provide enough support with his inexperience. However, from the lineout forwards thrived hard with a rolling maul and skipper Radeesha Senavirathne controlled harmoniously from behind and scored the first try for CH. (Kandy 38 – 05 CH)
From the restart Dinesh Lakshan collected the ball and tried to clear out but Pongi was too quick to barge and fall over the ball in the try line. CH wing Pabasara Madawa’s infringement of hands in the ruck looked sinful for the referee Just Wong and as a result Madawa was out in the sin-bin for ten minutes.
The hosts playing with 14 men was too irresistible to Kandy as the next try came through a great work by the three quarters which ultimately ended with Danush Dayan scoring his second try and soon afterwards he was out of the match due to a collision on a high ball with Hamza. (Kandy 52 – 05 CH)
Kandy had better position as CH went disorganized in defense, therefore after few phases Ouma scored his second try leaping from a ruck just two meters outside the try line. Gayan Rathnayaka, Kandy lock put his name on the score sheet with the tenth try in the 70th minute. Out of all it was a fairytale finish for Arshad Jamaldeen who scored a well-deserved try in the last minute and also he converted 8 out of 11 kicks.
With this win, Kandy once again claimed their place in the top of the Dialog Rugby League 2014/15 standings at the end of the first round.
Full-time: Kandy 71 (T11, C8) – 05 (T1) CH
Referee: Just Wong (Singapore)
ThePapare Player of the Match: Arshad Jamaldeen (Kandy)
Kandy
Tharindu Chanaka, Lavanga Perera, Pradeep Liyanage, Koto Pongi, Danushka Dayan, Arshad Jamaldeen, Roshan Weerarathne, Buwanaka Udangamuwa, Oscar Ouma, Sashika Jayawardena, Sean Wijesinghe (C), Gayan Rathnayaka, Kishore Jehan, Uchitha Jayasuriya, Pumal Manchanayaka
Replacements – Dimithri Wijethunga, Damith Dissanayaka, Ali Mohamed, Chanaka Bandara, Asitha Rathnayaka, Saliya Kumara, Quinton Crocker, Oshan Perera
CH & FC
Rajitha Sansony, Pabasara Madawa, Musheen Faleel, Dilshan Kelaniyagoda, Chanaka Janith, Dinesh Lakshan, Miyura Hewawasam, Hamza Hasan, Radeesha Senavirathna, Chilanka Samaraweera, Charles Praveen, Ganidu Lakshan, Eroshan De Alwis, Uthpala Saranga, Sanjeewa Priyadarshana
Replacements – Kokila Hiran, Shezan Salih, Wasula Wimalaweera, Hasthika Bandara, Dinesh Tharanga, Rohan Samuel, Dushyantha Peiris, Uditha Tharanatha
