The CR&FC achieved their fourth win of the second round by prevailing over the Air Force by 27 points to 17 at Longdon Place last evening. CR’s points came from two goals, two tries and a drop goal as against a drop goal, a goal and a penalty try.

Air Force’s fly half Gayantha Iddamalgoda broke the ice when he dropped a goal and got that early lead. It didn’t take long for the CR to hit back. Hirantha Manamendra put his team ahead by going over over for CR’s first try which was converted by centre Tarinda Ratwatte. Incidentally, Ratwatte was responsible for 12 of his side’s 27 points.

CR scored again in the 21st minute when winger Reeza Raffaideen went over for an unconverted try. Ten minutes later centre Rehan Silva put the finishing touches to a good move by the CR back division. Ratwatte was able to add the extra points.

Air Force’s centre Sooriya Krishan scored his side’s first try by eluding the CR defenders to touch down. Fullback Charith Seneviratne added the extra points. Ratwatte scored a try himself and, then, dropped a goal to boost CR’s tally. The only addition to the Air Force’s scoare came via a penalty try.

CR’s skipper, centre Kavindu Perera and prop Kokila Sambandapperuma were sent to the bin in the second half at different occasions.

Both sides had the will and power to take the game under their belt and by the halftime the battle was open with the scores levelled at 24-all. The potential was high for a exciting battle thriller or a thrilling draw as it occurred in the first round where the Cops bounced back to earn a 21-all draw.

Eventually CH became more aggressive and more hungry in their goal to finish among the top half in the list as they ran off winners with bonus points from seven tries, six conversions and a penalty to score 50 points. The Cops had it all to finish their penultimate league game with great pride and joy by scoring 36 points through six tries and three conversions.

Police were on track with their mission by taking an early lead of 12-0 before 20 minutes with tries coming from lock Udara Suriyapperuma and winger Janith Chandimal. Fullback Sandesh Jayawickrama, who did the kicking job, converted one and went on to put over three kicks in total, scoring a try in the 57th minute, before receiving a yellow card in the 80th minute of the game.

CH opened scoring through a 35-metre penalty from fullback Samuel Maduwantha in the 23rd minute and ended up gaining the lead with two more converted tries within the next seven minutes. Lee Keegal touched down on both occasions as Maduwantha easily made the conversions as he went on to convert three more tries from the entire game.

CH’s lead of 17-12 didn’t last long as Police No.8 Wajid Fawmy made a brilliant break to score in the 36th minute for a converted try that put his team in front 19-17. The lead fluctuated once again when Henry Terrence made a breakthrough two minutes later with a return try as CH regained the lead 24-19. Just before the break lock Udara Suriyapperuma touched down with an unconverted try to take the breather with a 24-all tie.

CH came with a vengeance after the turnaround by responding with two tries off flanker Yoshitha Rajapaksa, followed by another from Terrence. One of them was converted by Maduwantha as CH regained the lead for good 36-24. Immediately out of nowhere Police kicker Jayawickrema gave his bit with a converted try but it was not enough to put them in front, as CH held on with a lead of 36-31.

CH took the entire control from then onwards by adding two more tries in the 65th and 76th minutes through winger Hashan Maduranga and Rajapaksa, who converted his own try while Maduwantha kicked the first. With those additions CH stretched their lead to 50-31 before centre Vihanga Pivithuru touched down for Police with an unconverted try in the last minute.

Referee Praneeth Weranga

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