It was yet another defeat for the CH&FC boys as the Airmen took the win by 53 points to 17 in their week 13 encounter of the Dialog Rugby League at Ratmalana Airforce Grounds.
First half was pretty much even-stevens but the home side took the lead going into the break. It was the Airmen who drew first blood through a converted try by Sandaruwan Adikari. CH&FC were penalized for not being 10 yards away, Air Force took the line out and after a few phases Adikari was pushed over with ease. Gayantha Iddamalgoda added the extras. (Air Force 7 – CH&FC 0)
Photos: Air Force SC v CH&FC – Dialog Rugby League 2016/17 | #Match 49
Photos of the Air Force SC v CH&FC – Dialog Rugby League 2016/17 | #Match 49
CH&FC replied with a brilliant team try. An Airforce player was penalized for not rolling away. Vishva Denith had a shot at goal but he missed by a long way. Fortunately for CH&FC, Air Force knocked on the ball inside their own try line which gave CH&FC another chance to score from 10m out. They took the scrum and after a few phases Dimal Jayasinghe was pushed over the line and this time around Vishva bisected the uprights with ease. (Airforce 07 – CH&FC 07)
Until this point it was an even fight but then the usual indiscipline started showing in the CH&FC boys’ game. Gihan Hewage received a yellow card and the home side used the one-man advantage to take back the lead with an unconverted try. Pramod Weerasinghe gathered the clearance kick, ran almost to the try line but unselfishly offloaded to Pabasara Hewage who went over the line. (Air Force 12 – CH&FC 07)
The Airmen went on to score another try with the one-man advantage and this time it was Kaushal Manuppriya who scored for the home side. The line out was stolen by Air Force and they were unstoppable inside the 10m. Gayantha converted with ease. (Airforce 19 – CH&FC 07)
CH bounced back with another team try but this time it was pretty special from the visitors. They pushed hard from the 40m and luckily this time their indiscipline did not get in their way. Dimal got his name on board once again but the conversion wasn’t successful by Vishva. Air Force however extended their lead once again just before the break through a converted try by Pabasara Hewage, his second for the match.
Half Time: Air Force 26 – CH&FC 12
The break worked well for the home side as they kicked off the second half with a converted try. CH knocked on inside their 22m which paved the way for the Airmen to breakthrough early on. This time it was Saraka Werella who went over. Iddamalgoda bisected the uprights. (Airforce 33 – CH&FC 12)
A few moments later, Sandaruwan Adikari went on to score his second try of the match. Manupriya made a good counter attacking run from their own half and he got support from Lahiru Udayanga who ran alongside him. Lahiru gathered the offload from Manupriya, ran a few yards and offloaded to Adikari who went all the way. (Airforce 38 – CH&FC 12)
CH&FC once again found some fight within them to score another brilliant team try. This time it was Reyan Fernando who was pushed over after a few phases inside the Air Force 40m. Rohitha Rajapaksha could not bisect the uprights. (Airforce 38 – CH&FC 17)
The last 25 minutes were all about the home side. They were lethal in their attack and CH&FC had no venom left in their tanks to fight back. In the 62nd minute Kaushal Manupriya went on to score his second try of the match. He received the ball from a line out inside the 22m, spotted a gap and there was no stopping him from going over afterwards. (Airforce 43 – CH&FC 17)
Air Force went on to score two more tries before the final whistle to stack up a total of 9 tries in the match. In the 69th minute Saraka Werella scored his second try after he took a quick tap and caught CH&FC by surprise. Second half substitute Dinesh Weerarathne put the icing on the cake in the 78th minute through another unconverted try.
Coming off from a gritty performance in their previous fixture against the Cops last week, CH&FC was yet again undone by their own indiscipline. Air Force on the other hand bounced back after a humiliating defeat at Nittawala.
These big score lines have become a norm when CH&FC is on the park but credit goes to the players and support staff for keeping their heads up after being hammered week after week and coming out with grit every week.
Full Time: Airforce 53 – CH&FC 17
ThePapare Player of the Match: Saraka Werella (Air Force)
Air Force scorers: Sandaruwan Adikari 2T, Saraka Werella 2T, Kaushal Manuppriya 2T, Pabasara Hewage 2T, Dinesh Weerarathne 1T, Gayantha Iddamalgoda 4C
CH&FC scorers: Dimal Jayasinghe 2T, Reyan Fernando 1T, Vishva Denith 1C
