Navy in smashing 22-14 win over CH and FC

Navy Sports Club came up with another stupendous performance to score a smashing 22 points (one goal, one drop goal, four penalties) to 14 (two goals) win over CH and FC in their Caltex ‘A’ Division League rugby match played at Welisara yesterday after leading 13-7 at the breather.

It was Navy’s third successive win in the league tournament having beaten the formidable CR and FC (18-3) and the mighty Kandy SC (12-11) in their last two matches.

The sailors opened scoring early in the game through a 45-metre drop goal from fly half Dev Anand. A few minutes later they increased the lead when centre Chula Susantha scored mid right. Dev Anand converted to make it 10-0.

CH and FC reduced the deficit when prop forward Sathya Ranatunge barged through to touch down near the posts. Milinda Jayasinghe converted to make it 10-7.

Just before half time Dev Anand fired across a penalty to make it 13-7 in favour of Navy.

Ten minutes after resumption CH and FC snatched the lead when fly half Naren Dhason sliced through the Navy defence to score near the posts. Milinda Jayasinghe added the extra points and CH led 14-13.

A few minutes later Navy took the lead once again when Dev Anand put over a 35-metre penalty (Navy 16-14).

In the 20th minute of the second half Navy increased the lead when full back Nuwan Hettiarachchi fired across a 50-metre penalty from a difficult angle to make it 19-14.

Ten minutes before the final whistle Dev Anand made no mistake with a 35-metre penalty to give Navy a glorious 22-14 win.

It was Navy’s forwards who paved the way for this victory. Skipper Yoshitha Rajapaksa was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his fiery loose play and was ably supported by Piumal Manchanayake, Sumedha Malewana, Ravi Jayasuriya, Shehan Dean and Namal Rajapaksa as the Navy ‘eight’ reigned supreme.

Referee: Irshard Cader.