CH & FC delivered another commanding performance, using a dominant second-half surge to overpower Sri Lions 47-20 in their Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25 Plate segment clash at Air Force Grounds, Ratmalana.
Eager to bounce back from their opening Plate round loss, Sri Lions hosted CH & FC, who entered the game with back-to-back wins. Dinesh De Silva’s kick-off signaled the start of the clash, and the home side wasted no time in making their intentions clear.
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From a center scrum, Sri Lions executed a well-drilled move, sending the ball to skipper Kevin Dixon. Dixon’s perfectly weighted grubber kick was chased down by the speedy Praneeth Silva, who outpaced the CH & FC defenders to score the opening try. (Sri Lions 5-0 CH)
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CH & FC responded almost immediately, showcasing their attacking prowess. Their backs launched a sweeping move from deep within their own half, spreading the ball across the field. Skipper Janindu Dilshan made a scintillating break down the right wing, bringing play close to the 22-meter line. He then offloaded to his flanker, Ravindu Anjula, who continued the attack before drawing the last defender and passing to Nirosh Perera for a try. Janith Chandimal’s conversion leveled the score. (Sri Lions 5-7 CH)
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The momentum then shifted to CH & FC. Dinesh De Silva’s pinpoint cross-kick was collected by skipper Dilshan, who powered through several tackles to carry the ball to the 10-meter line. The CH & FC forwards then patiently built phases before the powerful Charith Silva crashed over the line for another try. Chandimal added the conversion, giving CH & FC a seven-point lead. (Sri Lions 5-14 CH)
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Undeterred, Sri Lions finally found their rhythm. A period of patient play, focusing on their forwards, saw them gain valuable meters. Scrum-half Anuradha Silva attempted to snipe through a gap, taking out two defenders before offloading to Raban Mathir. Mathir quickly passed to Chanaka Chandimal, who changed direction with a sharp side-step inside, finding space to score. Chandimal then converted his own try, bringing Sri Lions back into contention. (Sri Lions 12-14 CH)
Just before halftime, Sri Lions struck a crucial blow. Their backs made a significant impact as Dinuk Amarasekara broke through the CH & FC defensive line and offloaded to Dulaj Nawodya. Nawodya gained a few meters before sending a quick pass to winger Praneeth Silva. Displaying blistering pace, Silva sprinted clear to score, giving Sri Lions the lead as the whistle blew for halftime.
Halftime: Sri Lions 17 (3T, 2C) – CH & FC 14 (2T, 2C)
CH & FC came out firing after the break, displaying renewed attacking intent. Their efforts were quickly rewarded with two tries in rapid succession.
The first began with a clever chip kick from playmaker Dinesh De Silva, which took them past Sri Lions’ defensive line. Thanuja Maduranga won the aerial battle and passed to Pasindu Bandara, who quickly fed Roshen Kumara for a try in the corner. The second try came soon after as scrum-half Harsha Maduranga sent a crisp pass to Ravindu Anjula just outside the 22-meter line. Anjula’s timely offload found Devinda Ratnayake, who sprinted past the defense to score under the posts. De Silva converted both tries, putting CH & FC back in the lead. (Sri Lions 17-28 CH)
CH & FC continued to press, looking dangerous in attack. From a lineout, they launched a maul, but it was expertly disrupted by the Sri Lions’ defense. The ball was then moved to the backs, where Dinesh De Silva used Chamath Kilan’s powerful running to break through the defensive line. Prop Charith Silva, running a great support line, received the pass from Kilan and crashed over for his second try of the match. De Silva’s conversion further extended CH & FC’s lead. (Sri Lions 17-35 CH)
The tries kept coming for the visitors. Ramesh Fernando added his name to the scoresheet with a quick side-step inside, leaving the Sri Lions’ defense grasping at air for an easy run-in to score. Sri Lions managed to respond with a penalty—one of their only scoring opportunities in the second half—which Chanaka Chandimal calmly slotted between the uprights. (Sri Lions 20-40 CH)
In the dying moments of the game, the CH & FC backs once again proved too hot to handle for Sri Lions. A pinpoint pass from Thanuja Maduranga created space for skipper Janindu Dilshan, who sprinted clear to score the decisive try. This final score sealed the victory for CH & FC, keeping their Plate Segment winning streak alive. (Sri Lions 20-47 CH)
Full Time: Sri Lions 20 (3T,2C,1P) – CH & FC 47 (7T,6C)
Player of the Match: Dinesh De Silva (CH & FC)
Points Breakdown
Sri Lions 20
Praneeth Silva 2T, Chanaka Chandimal 1T,1C,1P
CH & FC 47
Charith Silva 2T, Janindu Dilshan 1T, Devinda Ratnayake 1T, Nirosh Perera 1T, Roshen Kumara 1T, Ramesh Fernando 1T, Janith Chandimal 2C, Dinesh De Silva 3C, Dilhara Ranasinghe 1C
