Royal College HC clinches Bacon Cup

Front row, from left: Suneth Karunathilakaratne, Sandun Gajanayake, Pasindu Charuke, Shahin Ahmad, Shihar Aneez, Tanweer Ahmad, Malith Rasanga, Dilan Kavinda, Nelaka Wedagama. Standing from left: Aloka Amarasiri, Gihan Jayasinghe, Lasitha Manchanayaka, Duleepa Seneviratne, Falul Hallaj, Nadith Kudagama, Rohan Dissanayake (Coach), Vimukthi Rajapaksha (Captain), Mushthaq Rumy, Shahid Hussain, Sampath Subasinghe, Janath Wijerathne, Ashen Pieris, Praveen Buddhika, Hashan Niroshana, Senith Gajanayake

Royal College Hockey Club beat Old Bens Hockey Club to emerge champions in Colombo district knock out tournament for the Bacon Cup in a thrilling final held recently at the astro turf grounds.

They beat formidable Bens by 6-4 after trailed by 0-2 in the first five minutes of the final. 

Shahid Hussain scored two goals in the first half to equalise the score after Gayan Rodrigo and Chris Jayakody scored for Bens.

After the lemons, RCHC netted four goals with Shahid Hussain (1), Aloka Amarasiri (2) and Pasindu Charaka (1) scoring for the team to give the first major title in four years. Sherdon Fabion and Ashen Alles scored for Bens in the second half. 

RCHC beat Old Anandians HC by 2-0 in the semi finals and 6-0 in the quarter finals against Malays SC. 

RCHC comprised of players ranging from those played for college 1st XI team from 1995 to 2016 including seven college 1st XI captains. Vimukthi Rajapaksha led the victories team.

The team is coached by former Sri Lankan coach Rohan Dissanayake, who also helped Royal College school team to win Sri Lanka Schools Champions, University of Colombo to win the Inter-University Games, and Commercial Bank to win A- and B-division Mercantile Sevens champions last year.