Kandy SC managed to extend their luxurious unbeaten run down at Welisara to 12 game-weeks in a row after they managed to beat Navy SC moments earlier. Kandy scored a total of 41 points while the Sailors could only manage 17 under their belt. It was a dominant first half as Kandy drubbed Navy with 5 tries to none leading 34 points to just 3 at half-time. Navy however were a far better team in the second half than they were in the first half of the game.
Kandy are now the champions even if they somehow manage to lose the couple of matches they have left in the season and for Navy it will be to defeat Havelock SC and be the runner-up and try their luck again in the Clifford Cup.
Fazil Marija was yet again ThePapare.com player of the game, brilliant as he always was, controlled the game so well when Kandy were attacking and showed the much-needed composure when Kandy needed that reassurance in the field as Navy showed signs of making a come-back.
Buwaneka Udangamuwa continued to have another good game in the excellent season he’s been having so far.
Thilina Weerasinghe of Navy SC drew first blood through a penalty for an offside call by the referee Charlie Brown after a very solid first 5 minutes by the Sailors. Kandy gave away 3 penalties before Weerasinghe finally opted to the posts. (Kandy 00-03 Navy)
Kandy replied almost immediately through Jason Dissanayake in the left corner of the field. Kandy ran some good lines before causing a lovely overlap and Jason diving over the whitewash. Nigel Ratwatte missed from the left flank. (Kandy5-3 Navy)
Minutes later Kandy was yet again pecking at the Navy defence inside their 22m line. This time it was Buwaneka Udangamuwa who barged his way over, after a lovely step showing his center skills from his school days at Dharmaraj, before he was made a number 8. Nigel converted from under the posts. (Kandy 12-3 Navy)
Then showing great common sense, after a penalty was awarded to Kandy, Danushka Ranjan took a quick and sent it out wide through simple hands before the Navy defence could spread wide to Lavanga Perera who dived over. Nigel missed yet again from the flank. (Kandy 17-03 Navy)
Kandy got a similar line-out on the other side of the field and Kandy yet again opted for the line-out and this time sneaky little Richard Dharmapala joined the scrum and went over the line together with Suhiru Anthony with the rolling maul pushing them on. Nigel added the extras yet again. (Kandy 31-03 Navy)
Heshan Kalhara (second from R) was impressive coming in to sub injured Buwaneka Udangamuwa
Just before half time Nigel Rattwatte added more salt to the sailor’s wounds by pinching another penalty to make it a 31-point deficit. (Kandy 34-03 Navy)
Half Time; Kandy 34 (5T 3C 1P) – 03 (1P) Navy
Navy came out another side in the second half as they managed to score two quick tries and to add to that Srinath Sooriyabandara was yellow carded. Dulajana Wijesinghe scored the first barging his way through and scoring under the posts. Thilina Weerasinghe added the extras with ease. (Kandy 34-10 Navy)
Mohommed Absal then picked it up from the back of the ruck and twisted and turned before falling over on the try line to score and also give Navy the much-needed hope of a revival. Weerasinghe was good with another 2-point conversion of the base of the posts. (Kandy 34-17 Navy)
The one-man advantage was cut short when Buddhima Piyarathna made a silly late charge on Thilina Wijesinghe who had sent the ball out hours before he got the hit.
And late in the game Supun Dilshan got himself yellow carded for a high tackle on Richard Dharmapala preventing a certain try. After consulting the Television Match Official, referee Charlie Brown awarded a yellow and a penalty try to Kandy which made the score 41 points in favour of Kandy to the 17 of the Sailors and this score-line stood till Referee Brown blew the long whistle at the end of the game.
Full Time; Kandy 41 (6T 3C 1P) – 17 (2T 2C 1P) Navy
ThePapare.com Player of the match: Fazil Marija (Kandy SC)
Kandy – Richard Dharmapala (1T), Lavanga Perera (1T), Buwaneka Udangamuwa (1T), Jason Dissanayake (1T), Dimitri Wijethunga (1T), Penalty Try, Nigel Rattwatte (3C 1P)
Navy – Mohommed Absal (1T), Dulanjana Wijesinghe (1T), Thilina Weerasinghe (2C 1P)
