Army SC let a golden opportunity to defeat Kandy SC, slip through their hands in a tense yet error-ridden match in the Dialog Rugby League 2015/16 at the Ratmalana Air Force Ground which ended 09 (3P) – 19 (3T 2C) in favour of the visitors.
Kandy asserted the early dominance and although they had majority of the possession in the first half, they were lucky to lead 12-0 at halftime after knocking on the ball a few times. 
Roles reversed in the second half as the hosts attacked and made the same mistakes only to see Gayan Salinda take them close with three penalties.
The dozing brilliance of Kandy woke in the final minute to add a goal and respectability to the winning score as the ‘knock-on curse’ continued at Ratmalana.
PHOTO ALBUM – Kandy SC v Army SC
On a scorching afternoon, Nigel Ratwatta’s booming kicks and nifty forwards play saw Kandy take Army hostage inside their own half.
However the Kandy SC who would have turned pressure into points were missing from the field as they knocked on or let the grinding Army defense turn over the ball each time they entered the opposition 22m.
Both sides were guilty of poor set-pieces as they lost almost all of their own line-outs.
It needed the raw pace of Vishwamithra Jayasinghe to finally ease Kandy’s frustration which had been building for the first 20 minutes.
After Army turned over the ball, Srinath Sooriyabandara collected the punt and dished out the ball to Jayasinghe, whose lethal pace left half a dozen Army defenders in his wake as he went over the whitewash. Ratwatta missed the conversion. (00-05)
Army managed to set foot on the Kandy half only after half an hour of play and Gayan Salinda got an opportunity to close the gap with a 40m penalty, which he missed.
Minutes later Kandy went over the try line through Buwaneka Udangamuwa; as a result of a rare lineout win and a clinical rolling maul from outside the 22m. Ratwatta this time added the extras. (00-12)
Kandy ended the first half weathering an intense Army forwards barrage near the try line which ultimately ended with a knock-on.
Army managed to keep the momentum they built towards the latter part of the first half as they forced a penalty which Salinda put over after getting his radar corrected. (03-12)
Midway into the 2nd half the hosts halved the Kandy lead when Salinda once again put over a 22m penalty as the pressure started to lift its head on Kandy. (06-12)
Army’s rolling maul demolished the Kandy forwards gaining 20 meters with ease but a few phases later another knock-on sent the Army hands on to their hips.
With time ticking away, as a gallant Kandy defense holding fort and mistakes costing them points, it was Salinda who stepped up once again for Army to make it a three point game with a successful penalty after the Kandy line was caught off-side. (09-12)
Time was already up when Kandy got consistent ball possession in the 2nd half and Roshan Weerarathne used the blindside for a 22m scrum as Sooriyabandara brushed off one tackle and off-loaded to Danusha Dayan who crept in for the third try. Ratwatta’s conversion was successful. (09-19)
ThePapare.com Man of the Match: Srinath Sooriyabandara
“At the beginning we didn’t execute our plans, giving away cheap possession with unnecessary kicks and very simple errors together with poor set pieces. Halves combination did not call the shots well as we only concentrated on the forwards attack.”
“With a team like Kandy if we give possession they’ll play all day so our boys did well in the 2nd half but the lack of core skills let us down. Even though we have been playing well results wise I am disappointed,” Army Coach added talking with ThePapare.com.
“We didn’t play well as a team and against an Army side who are superior in their fitness we struggled. The finishing in the first half was not there and it did not work for us in the 2nd half but we kept talking to each other throughout the 80 minutes that took us over the finish line,” Kandy captain Roshan Weerarathne reflected on the grueling match.
