Army sports club and Air force sports club played their final game of the Dialog rugby league today at Longdon place. Airforce won comprehensively by 43 points to 26.
The Airmen registered a nail-biting victory against the same opposition 32-29 at Rathmalana in their first round encounter and therefore this game was expected to be close. Army came in after a shocking defeat against Police while the Airmen outclassed CH & FC in their previous game.
Gayan Salinda kicked the game for Army under sunny and humid conditions.The Airmen attacked straight away as Kaushal Manuppriya broke the clumsy Army defence. Manuppriya covered more than 30 meters before offloading it Rumesh Ramdas to touch down.Skipper Gayantha Iddamalgoda added the extras. (Army 00 – 07 Airforce)
Air Force defended for more than 10 minutes in their red zone as the Army continuosly launched attacks at them.Danushka Thalwaththa finally spotted a gap in the Air force defence scored for the soldiers.Salinda added the extras to level the scores.(Army 07 – 07 Airforce)
Airforce extended their lead through the skipper Gayantha Iddamalgoda as he executed preplanned move. He himself bisected the uprights to add the extras.(Army 07 – 14 Airforce)
The next passage of play saw the airmen scoring two back to back tries through Saraka Werella who made a 50 meter dash towards the try line and Rumesh Ramdas scored the second try when the airmen spread the ball to the corner for Ramdas to touch down.(Army 07 – 24 Airforce)
In the dying stages of the first half, the Army scored their second try through Victor Pradeep to reduce the gap.Salinda missed the conversion.
Half time – Army SC 12 – 24 Air Force SC
Army scored straight from the kickoff through their flanker Suramya Herath.Salinda added the crucial extra points (Army 19 – 24 Airforce)
Kaushal Manuppriya who was the architect of the first try of the match scored for the airmen under the post to increase the lead Iddamalgoda got his kick spot on. (Army 19 – 31 Airforce )
Army attacked the Airmen continuosly for more than 15 phases but couldn’t score as the Air force defence held steady.After all that defensive work, the Airmen managed to score under the post through Nilantha Jayaweera . Iddamalgoda added the extras. (Army19 – 38 Airforce )
In the final 10 minutes of the game both teams scored one try each.Army was the first to score through Sanjeewa Hapugaskubura.Salinda added the extras. Puspakumara Samarahewa scored the final try of the game for the airmen . Iddamalgoda missed the conversion.
Full Time – Army SC 26 – 43 Air Force SC
ThePapare player of the match – Rumesh Ramdas (Air force SC)
Match referee – Aruna Rankothge
The score breakdown
Army Sports Club (12) 26
Tries: Danushka Thalwaththa, Suramya Herath, Victor Pradeep, Sanjeewa Hapugaskubura
Conversion: Gayan Salinda ( 3)Air Force Sports Club (24) 43
Tries: Rumesh Ramdas (2), Gayantha Iddamalgoda,Saraka Werella, Kaushal Manuppriya, Nilantha Jayaweera , Puspakumara samarahewa
Conversions: Gayantha Iddamalgoda (4)
