Havelocks Sports Club registered their 9th win of the eason as they defeated Army Sports Club by 29-17 at the Air Force grounds in Ratmalana this evening. Furthermore Havies won this encounter with a bonus point which will become handy for them during the closing stages of the Dialog Rugby League.
Gayan Salinda of Army SC kicked off the game and straight away the soldiers showed their intensions very clear to the opposition as Army played attacking rugby in the opening stages but Havies made a superb counter attack from their own 5 meter line as Chamara Dabare’s dashing run put the army defence in disarray and then he started a kicked and chase. Kevin Dixon continued this kick and chase as he touched down in the right corner for the park club. Dulaj Perera couldn’t add the extra two points (Army 00-05 Havelocks)
Few minutes later Nishon Perera scored the second try of the game and this try was similar to first one they scored. Nishon ran through four Army defenders and ran more than 80 meters to increase their lead. Windy conditions at Ratmalana prevented Dulaj Perera from adding the extras. (Army 00-10 Havelocks)
Army SC wanted a comeback soon and so they did it through their prop forward Ashoka Jayalal when he scored under the post for the soldiers where the Havies defenders was unable to stop Jayalal’s powerful run. Salinda converted this try. (Army 07-10 Havelocks)
The ground conditions were brilliant for fast open brand of rugby and Havies displayed it ones again as Nishon made a powerful run through the Army defence to open up gaps for the Havies players and Rahul De Silva collected ball from Nishon and he drew more defenders to his side and offloaded the ball to the speedster Dabare to score his first try. Dulaj was spot on with this conversion. (Army 07-17 Havelocks)
In the dying stages of the first half Havelocks skipper Dushamantha Priyadarshana received a yellow card for not releasing the player in the Army ruck when they were so close to scoring again before half time.
Half time – Army SC 07 – 17 Havelocks SC
Dulaj Perera kicked off the second half and Havies scored from the first opportunity they got in this half. Ever reliable Havies No 08 Sudarshana Muthuthanthri made his trademark no 08 break from a center scrum and opened more space for his winger Dabare to score his second try without any difficulty. Perera added the two points (Army 07-24 Havelocks)
Army was still on this game as they attacked the Havies continuously and they were rewarded with a try which was scored by Eshara Dhanushka through a maul where the Army forwards got their act together finally to reduce the deficit. Salinda missed the conversion (Army 12-24 Havelocks)
Havies were down fourteen men when Jason Melder was sent to the naughty chair by referee Rohan Fernando for a late tackle.
Army took the maximum from numerical advantage they had when Army defenders charged down Dulaj Perera’s territorial kick and again when Kevin Dixon tried to kick the ball away but it too was charged down by the Army players and finally their winger Iranga Ariyapala scored for the soldiers in the right corner and the game was back alive and Havies were feeling the pressure. Salinda missed this conversion too as both kickers had a bad game due to the windy conditions (Army 17-24 Havelocks)
Havies absorbed the pressure very well as they replied straight away with the final try of the game when Hirantha Perera kicked a small chip kick over the Army defenders and the Army full back couldn’t collect the kick. Nishon was at the correct place at the correct time and he picked up that lose ball to score his second try. Dulaj Perera’s kick was unsuccessful (Army 17-29 Havelocks)
Full Time – Army SC 17 – 29 Havelocks SC
Thepapare player of the match – Nishon Perera (Havelocks Sports Club)
Match referee – Rohan Fernando
The score breakdown
Army Sports Club (07) 17
Tries – Eshara Dhanushka, Ashoka Jayalal, Iranga Ariyapala
Conversion – Gayan Salinda (1)Havelocks Sports Club (17) 29
Tries – Nishon Perera (2), Chamara Dabare (2), Kevin Dixon
Conversions – Dulaj Perera (2)
