A late surge from CR & FC secured a hard-fought 22-27 victory over CH & FC in a tightly contested seventh-week fixture of the Mastercard Inter-Club ‘A’ Division Rugby League 2024/25, at the Racecourse Grounds.
Zubair Doray opened the game for CR & FC, but it was CH & FC’s Udesh Madushanka who drew first blood against the Men in Red, with a terrific run along the blindside in the first three minutes of the game, with De Silva adding to the tally with a successful conversion as well. (7-0)
The home team could not afford to get complacent however, as CR & FC’s number 24, Ariyapala went over the line after Doray worked his backs to stretch the CH defense paper thin. Doray also began his field day with the boot, with the first of his successful conversions. (7-7)
Matters kept piling up against CH & FC, with Skipper Janindu Dilshan being booked for a high tackle, moments before Adeesha Weeratunga took flight for a second salvo for CR & FC, with Doray adding in two points with a good kick. (7-14)
CH found their footing fairly slowly after the one-two punch, opting to go for pick-and-go tactics, with more than a dozen hits against an increasingly tiring CR defense, but it was Janith Chandimal off the backline who opted for the drop goal after dropping back, giving the home side room to breathe. The forward momentum was boosted with Skipper Dilshan coming off the sin bin as well. (10-14)
The forward momentum for CH was not to be, as a horror collision between CR’s Radeeshan Achitha and an opposing forward halted play. CR capitalised on the opening, with Venura Kodhagoda scoring the third try off of a good driving maul. From this point onwards, spirits started to wane as the physical matchup started to take its toll as half-time rolled around. Nevertheless, CR & FC were able to keep their heads above water. (10-19)
Half Time: CH & FC 10(2T) – CR & FC (3T)
Janindu Dilshan, the Skipper for CH, blindsided CR & FC off the quick start of the second half, redeeming himself with a wonderful run past the dumbfounded defense for five points. (15-19)
CR’s reserve strength was once again on display, as Soyuru Anthony and Naveen Marasinghe came off the bench to boost the tiring forwards for the Reds, as Doray once more grabbed three points after a penalty infringement from the tiring opposing side. (15-22)
Coach Martis’s tactics were on full display though, with CH’s forwards going on to use pick and go maneuvers after capitalising on a touch finder that brought them within distance of the whitewash, only for Nirosh Perera going for the hit that would nab them five more points. De Silva was successful this time around, adding two points, bringing the scores level. (22-22)
Entering the last quarter, CR & FC found the opportunity to grab three points with a kick right under the post, as referee Alexander caught the CH players going off their feet in the ruck, but missed. Thankfully for them, Aaron Corea, the replacement left winger, came off the bench, breaking the deadlock with an impressive run off the line, courtesy of a beautiful long pass. (22-27)
CH spent the dying moments of the game testing every ounce of CR’s defense with their successful forwards hitting the defense quickly, but were ultimately futile, as the men in Red held strong to clinch their sixth straight win of the season.
Points Breakdown
CH & FC
Udesh Madushanka 1T, Janith Chandimal 1DG, Janindu Dilshan 1T, Nirosh Perera, 1T, Dinesh De Silva 2C
CR & FC
Iranga Ariyapala 1T, Adeesha Weeratunga 1T, Venura Kodhagoda 1T, Aaron Corea 1T, Zubair Doray 1P 2C
- The Papare.com Player of the Match – Adeesha Weeratunga (CR & FC)