By Shamseer Jaleel

 Kandy Sports Club, the defending league champions went through one of their toughest opponents, CR and FC when they edged them out by 13/11 in tensed thriller in their Nippon Paint Inter Club Rugby League encounter which was worked off at Longdon Place last weekend.

At the short breather scores were dead locked at three-a-piece.

As expected always Kandy vs CR and FC game gives a good mouth-watering encounter for the spectators but it lacked a full house at Longdon Place given the game has come so early in the season.

Once again Kandy playing in Colombo always struggle to settle down fast. CR forwards did play well but the young Kandy outfit too showed good promise after losing out many of their seniors this season.

Kandy SC drew first blood early in the game through Tharinda Ratwatte penalty. CR equalised through Chathura Seneviratne penalty kick deep in to first half. Both teams took the short breather at three-a-piece.

After the turn around Chathura took the Red Shirts ahead through a 35-meter penalty kick. Both teams played good rugby and Kandy were a yard faster and looked threatening to score but CR defence was rock solid giving no spaces. 

Kandy made some ghosting of moves through Kavindu Perera, Srinarth Sooriyabandara but CR too defended well to keep them away from scoring. CR too made some bold moves and almost scored but for their bad luck referee, Ishanka Abeykoon who was on the spot disallowed due to the ball being landed on a Kandy players boot.

It almost took Kandy another 20 minutes for Kandy SC to score their first try through former Isiapthana lad, Tharindu Vewelpandith who touched down. Tharinda Ratwatte added the 2 extra points to take the lead 10/6 favoring the Up-Country lads.

CR scored their solitary try through cracking flanker, Wageesha Weerasinghe. Chathura Seneviratne missed a tight angle kick. With CR leading by a solitary point the game went in to the last 5 minutes. Kandy SC attacking in CR 22 line forced the Red Shirts to make a blunder and were awarded with a penalty 25 meters from the posts which Tharinda Ratwatte slotted over without any difficulty.

CR received 2 yellow card offenses where they had to play 20 minutes of the game with one player less. 

Referee Ishanka Abeykoon

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