Police in hard fought 21-17 win over Army

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

Police Sports Club scored a hard fought 21 points (one goal, one try, one drop goal, two penalties) to 17 (two goals, one penalty) win over Sri Lanka Army in their Caltex ‘A’ division league rugby match played at Police Park yesterday after leading 8-3 at the breather.

The Policemen surged into the lead in the 11th minute when centre Harshana Wijeweera fired across a 25 metre penalty. Twelve minutes later Army won a scrum in Police territory and fly half Upul Kumara dropped a peach of a goal from 40 metres out to make it 3-all.

In the 29th minute Police centre Chula Susantha made a break in mid field and sped over 30 metres and slipped out a pass to winger Ranjith Kumara who scored mid right. Wijeweera missed the conversion and Police led 8-3 at ‘lemons’.

In the 2nd minute after resumption Police centre Harshana Wijeweera sliced through the Army defence off a three quarter move in mid field and slipped out a pass to prop forward Nishantha Welagedera who scored under the posts to give Chula Susantha an easy kick at goal and Police led 15-3.

Eight minutes later Army came back storming into Police territory and winger Maurice Abeyratne made a break off a move in the Police ‘40’ and sent out a pass to fly half Upul Kumara who burst through to touch down mid left. Full back T. A. Silva added the extra points and the score read 15-10.

In the 26th minute of the second half Police fly half Danushka Pubudu put over a 25 metre penalty and eight minutes later he dropped a goal from 30 metres out to make it 21-10.

Just before the final whistle Army’s prop forward Nishantha Kotelawala broke away from a maul in the Police ‘25’ and slung out a pass to lock forward R. M. G. Ratnayake who powered his way to fall over for a try under the posts. T. A. Silva converted to make it 21-17 in favour of Police at the final whistle.

Referee: D. Nimal.