Hetti’s last minute try sends Air Force in to semis

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Category: Caltex Club Rugby

Published on Sunday, 04 September 2011 21:06

Written by Sankha DLT

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Another humdinger at RC complex was witnessed today, when the Airmen came back in the final minute through a try by former Sri Lanka skipper Radika Hettiarchchi to win the last Clifford cup quarter finals against CR.

Half time score - 13-06 (Air Force)

Full time score – 27-25 (Air Force)

The Airmen were out for the kill against an injury struck CR team today as they asserted a lot of pressure on the Reds from as early as the first minute with an attempted drop goal from fly half and Sri Lanka sevens international Chanaka Chandimal.

They then had their scoring opportunity when big made second row forward Shenal Dias broke off, from a rolling maul to put the first points on the board for the Airmen.

CR then hit back with a Mohamed Sheriff penalty when an Air Force player was caught for not rolling away in the ruck.

It was a new halves combination for the CR team with this year’s Josephian scrum half Peum Jayasinghe wearing the red colours for the first time pairing off with experienced Mohamed Sheriff.

The Reds did not have the best of starts as they lost both Ishan Noor and Ashan De Costa when they were stretchered out after some heavy collisions with the Air Force players. Sheriff missed a penalty within kicking range and the Airmen led the game 5-3. Air Force extended the lead with a penalty through the boot of Hettiarchchi which took them 5 points ahead of CR. At this point CR looked down and out and did not have the fire power to come out with anything forceful to trouble the Air Force team. CR then clawed their back with a penalty through Sheriff who took the score 2 points short of their opponents.

Air Force had a number of opportunities to extend their lead but the lack of coordination and ball handling skills kept them back from going further. It was an intense encounter and the intensity got the better of CR winger Heshan Guneratne and Air Force flanker Prasanna Soyza who were sent off during the latter part of the 1st half. Air Force then converted pressure into points when their number eight and former Thurstan skipper Sasanka Ariyaratne scored after charging down a kick from Mohamed Sheriff. CR then missed a golden opportunity just before the half time whistle which would have given them a lot of confidence going in to the break.

The second half saw a confident CR unit strolling in to the park. They needed a bit of inspiration and that came from their skipper and work horse number 8 Dushanth Lewke who touched down from a pick and drive to reduce the gap. With the conversion missed the scores stood at (13-11 to Air Force)

The Longdon place team then came in to the lead for the first time when flanker Sharo Fernando scored a try from a pick and drive. With Sheriff’s conversion the Reds led the game 18-13. With the game played at a rapid pace, Air Force changed their fly half and in came Iddamalgoda who was the scorer of the next try for the Airmen. He took the ball off a ruck and showed a brilliant dummy to score under the post. Hettiarchchi converted and they took back the lead 20-18.

CR needed to get on to the score board, and they were able to do that with the debutant Peum Jayasinghe scoring under the post. Jayasinghe in his first ever match in club level split the defense in half and side stepped through Air Force full back Milinda Jayasinghe to score under the post. With the conversion through CR were back with the lead 25-20. At this time they looked well set to take a slot in the semi finals but Air Force had other plans as they drove in to the CR half during the final minutes of the game to score and send their supporters in raptures. It had to be the experienced Radika Hettiarchchi to come out with a win for the Airmen as he shrug a couple of defenders to score under the post to equal the score. He then put over the conversion to secure a memorable win for the Airmen.

Click for pictures of the game

 

 

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