Air Force Sports Club edged out Navy Sports Club with a narrow 29-24 victory in their fourth-week fixture of the Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25, played at the Navy Grounds in Welisara.
Week 4 began with two teams determined to claim victory. Thilina Weerasinghe initiated the game, but it was the Airmen who struck first. Capitalising on Navy’s breakdown penalties, they kicked to the corner, setting up a line-out. Shamika Kaushan finished off a strong rolling maul to score, with Gayantha Iddamalgoda converting to give the visitors an early advantage. (Navy 00 – 07 Air Force)
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The Airmen showcased their attacking brilliance with a swift second strike. Speedster Dharshana Dabare collected a Navy clearance kick near his 22-meter line and made a dazzling run, using the width of the field to advance play. Combining skillfully with hooker Parakrama Ratnayake, he set up Ishara Madushan for a well-timed finish. The try went unconverted, but the Airmen extended their lead. (Navy 00 – 12 Air Force)
Navy regrouped and launched a determined attack, steadily building pressure as the Air Force gave away a series of penalties. This culminated in a 5-meter scrum right in front of the posts. The Navy forwards executed a dominant shove, creating the ideal platform for No. 8 Isuru Perera to drive over from close range, putting his team on the scoreboard. Thilina Weerasinghe calmly slotted the conversion, narrowing the deficit. (Navy 07 – 12 Air Force)
Air Force quickly responded, taking advantage of a penalty to kick for the corner. While their maul didn’t yield the desired outcome, they retained possession through a series of pick-and-drive phases. Their persistence paid off when their powerful prop, Manuka Perera, powered over the try line. Gayantha Iddamalgoda made no mistake with the straightforward conversion, extending their lead. (Navy 07 – 19 Air Force)
Just before the break, the Navy struck back to stay within reach. Using their backs effectively in the opposition’s 22-meter area, they moved the ball quickly through the phases to build pressure. Scrum-half Hashan Madumadawa spotted a gap in the Air Force defense, darting through unchallenged from a ruck to score a crucial try. The score kept Navy firmly in contention as they headed into Half Time.
Half Time: Navy SC 12 (2T,1C) – Air Force SC 19 (3T,2C)
The visitors came out strong after the break, making a few attacking moves and earning a reward for their pressure with a penalty from Gayantha Iddamalgoda. However, the home team quickly responded with a try. Their rolling maul gained crucial meters, and a series of quick pick-and-drives brought them closer to the line. A well-executed pass from right to left saw Amith Madushanka crash over in the corner for an unconverted try. (Navy 17 – 22 Air Force)
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Navy continued to dominate the game, with their forwards relentlessly applying pressure through pick-and-drives. Replacement scrum-half Koojana Kulathunga spotted a mismatch on the left and sent the ball out to his backs. Senura Pieris took full advantage of the space, crossing the try line to level the score. Thilina Weerasinghe made no mistake with the conversion, putting Navy ahead for the first time. (Navy 24 – 22 Air Force)
However, Air Force found their footing again, thanks to a massive performance from their forwards. The rolling maul was a potent weapon, and it was Shamika Kaushan who powered over for a bonus-point try following a powerful driving maul. Gayantha Iddamalgoda added the conversion, restoring the Air Force lead to five points.
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Despite Navy’s efforts in the final 10 minutes, Air Force held on to clinch their second win of the season, leaving Navy still winless after three games.
Full Time: Navy SC 24 (4T,2C) – Air Force SC 29 (4T,3C,1P)
Player of the Match: Gayantha Iddamalgoda (Air Force SC)
Points Breakdown
Navy SC 24
Isuru Perera 1T, Hashan Madumadawa 1T, Amith Madushanka 1T, Senura Pieris 1T, Thilina Weerasinghe 2C
Air Force SC 29
Shamika Kaushan 2T, Ishara Madushan 1T, Manuka Perera 1T, Gayantha Iddamalgoda 3C,1P
