Comfortable 25 - 8 win for CH & FC

Chris Dhambarage

CH and FC powered their way to a convincing 25 points to 8 points victory over Sri Lanka Air Force Sports Club in their Caltex inter club 'A' division league rugby tournament first round fixture worked off at Ratmalana yesterday.

CH and FC rallied around through their mobile set of forwards and collected their points from one goal, three tries and one penalty after having led 10-3 at half time. The Airmen responded with one try and a penalty.

Even then CH and FC will be disappointed that they could not capitalize on the good ball and pile up a big score having enjoyed a great amount of possession in the line outs and set pieces. They could have certainly scored more than four tries because their forwards always had the better of the exchanges and the three quarters had the luxury of running the ball even from their own territory.

However it was quite clear that CH and FC were keen in providing more exposure to their reserved players and did not hesitate to change six of their regular players from a maximum of seven allocated for an inter club match.

CH and FC decided to rest some of their key players soon after they had scored their third try of the match shortly after the interval at which point they had almost sealed the game in their favour having built up a commanding 17-3 lead.

Until then success for the Maitland Crescent Club was in the balance with the home side providing some anxious moments with their occasional brilliance and counter attacking through their three quarters.

However flanker Dilanka Wijesekera put the issue beyond doubt for CH and FC by going over for a splendid try following a successful line out inside the Air Force goal line.

Fly half Omar Hussain added the extra points and also fired across a good 25 metre penalty having earlier failed with the two conversions. Winger Niranjan Wickremaratne then scored CH and FC's fourth try mid way in the second half while adding the finishing touches to a superb three quarter move.

In the first half prop forward Sajith Adhikari and scrum half Ruwan Shamrock scored a try each to give CH and FC an early lead. Air Force SC were rewarded for their determination when scrum half Radeesha Seneviratne scored a consolation try when he broke off from a five metre scrum to touch down under the post completely unchallenged. Fly half who had earlier put over a penalty failed with the conversion.

Referee: Nizam Jamaldeen.