CH in morale-boosting 26-20 win over Army

The youthful CH and FC outfit scored a morale-boosting 26 points (one goal, two tries, two penalties, one drop goal) to 20 (one goal, two tries, one penalty) win over the Sri Lanka Army in the curtain-raiser of the Caltex 'A' Division League Tournament played at Maitland Crescent yesterday after leading 8-7 at the breather.

CH and FC opened scoring through a superb unconverted try by winger Lakala Perera in the first half. A few minutes later the soldiers snatched the lead when flanker Karunatilleke scored a try off a move in the CH '25' with Kapila Knowlton adding the extra points. However CH once again grabbed the lead when fly half Omar Hassan dropped a peach of a goal from 30 metres out for CH to lead 8-7 at half time.

CH and FC dominated the second half to score two more tries through winger Lakala Perera and centre Avantha Hettiarachchi and a penalty put over by Omar Hassan to give them a 23-15 lead three minutes before the final whistle. During this period the soldiers scored a try through No 8 Manoj Silva while Kapila Knowlton fired across a penalty.

In the 37th minute of the second half CH's Omar Hassan put over a 35 metre penalty to make it 26-15.

During the dying stages of the game Army's winger Saliya Handapangoda put the finishing touches to a three quarter move in the CH '25' by crossing the CH goal line and scored mid right. Kapila Knowlton missed the conversion and CH ran out winners by 26 points to 20. Referee: Irshard Cader