CH end losing streak

Saturday, 18 November 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Dialog Inter Club rugby 2017/2018

By Shamzeer Jaleel

CH&FC 19 points

CR&FC 12 points

CH&FC ended their losing streak when they beat their traditional rivals CR&FC by 19 points (2 tries, 3 penalties) to 12 points (2 tries, 1 conversion) win in their Dialog Inter club rugby encounter at the Racecourse rugby grounds yesterday.

At the short breather CH led 11/7.

CH played with a purpose and certainly looked a better unit running yards faster than their opponents who looked pathetic in their approach and needed to go back to their basics immediately. For CH, Yoshitha Rajapakse, Lee Keegale, Sajith Saranga, Sasanka Ariyaratne, Samuel Maduwantha and Sathya Ranathunge displayed a lionhearted performance. For CR Joel Perera and Reza Rafaideen played well.

Samuel Maduwantha’s penalty and Lee Keegale’s solo try where he covered nearly 40 meters handing off several CR defenders to score were noteworthy. CR hit back through a sweeping three quarter move which ended in a try for Reza Rafaideen. Tharinda Ratwatte was off target. Minutes before the short breather former Anthonian place kicker Maduwantha put CH further ahead with another 40 meter penalty. But CR got two good opportunities to go past CH but the penalty kicks were missed by Tharinda Ratwatte.

After the turnaround, Lee Keegale scored his second try of the game chasing a Maduwantha kick to touch down. During injury time Kushan Indunil scored for CR. There were a number of questionable referee decisions which went against CH&FC but still they never gave up scoring their first win in two seasons as they ended a long wait of 31 matches to achieve this feat.

Referee: Rohan Fernando