York SC in stunning 4-2 win over Police

S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports correspondent

FOOTBALL: York Sports Club, Kandy, created one of the biggest upsets in the current KIT Premier League soccer tournament conducted by the Football Federation of Sri Lanka when they beat the more fancied Sri Lanka Police by 4 goals to 2 in a thrilling encounter played at the Bogambara Stadium in Kandy on Sunday. At half time the scores stood level at 2 all laying the foundation for an exciting second session.

The Policemen who gave an impressive display in the initial half could not cope up with the changing pattern of play of their opponents who often changed their strategy to bemuse the cops.

Police who went out favourites did not bargain for the aggressive play of the Kandy York team in a ground made wet and muddy by the rains which the hill capital is experiencing these days. Kandy York on the other hand kept attacking and this paid dividends. Even when the final whistle was blown, a free kick taken just outside the penalty box narrowly missed its target as the ball fell on the left outside of the goal posts.

After a fairly even exchange of the proceedings, the Policemen drew first blood in the 15th minute of the first half when a York defender was blown for an infringement inside the penalty box and the penalty which was awarded was converted by centre forward S.M. Rafeek. Police led 1-0.

But the York team hit back with some powerful play and the cops grimly defended their slender lead which in any way was not good enough to insulate themselves from defeat. A gruelling battle forward, but there was a lull in scoring for the next 26 minutes.

More the cops defended, more power York put into their attack going by the adage attack is the best form of defence. York team were rewarded in the 41st minute of play when centre forward P.H.M. Chaminda found the net with a low kick which surprised the Police custodian to level the scores.

But the cops were in for more surprise and in the very next minute with the kick off, the York centre forward P.H.M. Chaminda on receiving a long pass once again took the cops goal keeper by surprise with a fine kick which was dead on target. Two goals in 2 minutes put the York team in the lead 2-1.

The Police team came back storming into the game with a 'do or die' determination and just before the short whistle - 44th minute to be precise scored once again through centre forward S.M. Rafeek to equalise at the breather.

But the Policemen failed to improve on their first half performance after the turnaround and evidently the game appeared to be slipping out of their hands.

In the 68th minute of play former national poolist and play-maker centre half Manjula Jayaratne who made a re-appearance into the team scored the best goal of the match. Receiving a pass from Chaminda, Manjula Jayaratne brushed aside challenges from two defenders from the Police team and lobbed the ball into the top edge of the goal posts with dead accuracy to clinch the lead once again.

Spurred by this success, the Kandy York team did not rest in their laurels and kept attacking to make sure of the win. In the 76th minute Manjula Jayaratne was once again found in good form and he beat a couple of defenders and sent a cross past to centre forward D.K. Gamini who booted the fourth goal to give the Kandy team a convincing victory.

A word of mention must be made of the heroic play of centre back Manjula Jayaratne who bravely stamped all hopes of Police revival with a sound defence and aggression where it needed. In the end it was a great team effort which brought the Kandy team victory after somewhat dismal performances in the earlier matches.

The FFSL must be also lauded for commencing the match at 3.30 p.m. which saw soccer in better light conditions and the match being over by 5.30 p.m. thus avoiding the bad light which is prevalent these days with the evenings being longer.

U.L. Jasward refereed with T.S. Ahamedeen as Match Co-ordinator.