A five-goal onslaught by Sachitha Jayatilake saw S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia over power Royal College to secure a 9-5 victory to complete a Hayman quadruple a short while ago at the Sugathadasa Indoor Swimming Pool Complex.
Going into the second leg after Royal College closed in on S. Thomas’ in the 1st episode which the Thomians won 9-8, the underdogs Royal were expected to come out strong in the returning fixture.
Starting off their campaign strong, the Royalists were able to get the better hand of possession in the 1st leg but didn’t have the privilege of adding to the score line. Filling the shoes of last year’s goalkeeper of S. Thomas’ Kosala Wijewardena, Dilitha Kumarasinghe was exceptional between the sticks restricting the shots fired in by Basith Yakoob and Daishike Dias.
Photo Album: 25th Dr R. L. Hayman Trophy Encounter – 2nd Leg
S. Thomas’ didn’t have the expected start they yearned for as the quarter concluded goalless. Breaking the ice was Sanaka Molligoda who drew first blood in the 2nd quarter. Royal replied on the very next attacking phase as Daishike Dias finally got his shot beyond the goalkeeper to bring it back to level pegging (1-1).
S. Thomas’ utilised their main artillery tactically as Sachitha Jayatilake made his way to the pool in the 2nd quarter. The play took a complete overhaul with his inclusion where Jayatilake made sure his existence was felt with a strike from the far left. Skipper Ashane Francis took the momentum created by Jayatilake with a rebound strike (3-1).
S. Thomas’ hit the gas pedal in the dying stages of the second quarter just before lemons as two more goals from Sachitha Jayatilake saw S. Thomas’ on the front seat of the encounter. Royal reconciled with a single goal off Basith Yakoob as the Thomians went for lemons with the scores reading 5-2.
Jayatilake completed his Hayman hat-trick in the second leg and later went on to create space to score two more goals to make it to a glorious five from his personal account. Shakya Gunathilake slotted in another from the corner as they were en-route to another success story. Three goals for Royal from the efforts of Sawinda Dissanayake,
Going into the fourth and final quarter with scores reading 5-8, Royal couldn’t do too much as they required a total of four goals in quick succession to change the result. Sanka Molligoda completed the annihilation for S. Thomas’ in the final quarter as they cruised to the glorious achievement of a victory at the end of the day to win the second leg 9-5.
With S. Thomas’ winning both encounters, they complete a quadruple title winning the 25th Dr. R. L. Hayman trophy 18-13 on score aggregate. Royal came out setting up an impressive display in the first leg but couldn’t live up to the expectations in the second leg. Credit needs to go to the S. Thomas’ goalkeeper Dilith Kumarasinghe for his impressive stint succeeding Kosala Wijewardena.
STC coach Zafar Zainudeen’s tactical usage of their main artillery Sachitha Jayatilake saw him taking the team forward completing a total of 9 goals combined in both legs.
Sachitha Jayatilake was adjudged the Most Valued Player of the Silver Jubilee edition.
It was a complete Hayman for the lads of Mount Lavinia as the under 15 team went on to win the junior title despite the fight back by Royal in the second leg. Royal won the second leg 7-4 but couldn’t surpass the 9-5 win set by S. Thomas’ in the 1st leg. The overall scores read 12-13 in favour of S. Thomas’ College.
Score breakdown:
S. Thomas’ College 9 – Goals by Sachitha Jayatilake (5), Ashane Francis, Sanka Molligoda (2), Shakya Gunathilake
Royal College 5 – Goals by Thamindu Ranasinghe, Senith Samaranayake, Daishike Dias, Basith Yakoob & Sawinda Dissanayake
Most Valued Player – Sachitha Jayatilake
