Ananda College pulled off a thrilling 30-27 win over St. Anthony’s College in Week 4 of the Dialog Schools Rugby League, upsetting the home side and securing their second win of the season.
It was the Antonians who drew first blood, capitalizing on an early penalty to take a 3-0 lead, with Kalpa Lakmina slotting it through the posts. A few minutes later, Ananda responded in similar fashion after earning a penalty of their own. Deneth Chamudhitha made no mistake and leveled the scores at 3-all. (SACK 03-03 AC)
The Antonians then began to build momentum after securing a line-out around the halfway mark. With strong phases and slick hands, they moved forward rapidly, and in the 13th minute, Kalpa Lakmina spotted a gap and sliced through the defense to score the first try of the game. He converted it as well, giving the Antonians a 10-3 lead. (SACK 10-03 AC)
Ananda’s forwards showed their strength soon after, pushing deep into the Antonian 22. Despite being in a position to chase a try, they opted for the safer option and took the three points, with Chamudhitha narrowing the gap to 10-6. (SACK 10-06 AC)
A deep restart kick from Deshan Liyanage forced Chamudhitha to kick out on the full, handing the Antonians a line-out in a dangerous position. They made full use of it, moving the ball quickly before Randeer Perera dived over in the corner for their second try. Lakmina missed the conversion, but the Antonians now led 15-6. (SACK 15-06 AC)
Ananda, however, continued to press hard, and their persistence paid off in the 32nd minute when Janithu Perera powered over the line for their first try. Chamudhitha nailed a tough conversion, bringing the score to 15-13. (SACK 15-13 AC)
The Antonians were quick to reply once again. Another well-placed restart kick by Liyanage forced an error from Ananda, giving the home team a line-out just five meters out. From there, they executed a tidy move that saw Kalpa Lakmina cross over for his second try. The conversion was off target, but St. Anthony’s took a 20-13 lead into halftime. (SACK 20-13 AC)
Importantly, the Antonians were down to 14 men going into the break after lock forward Dinuka Jayasundara was shown a yellow card.
Half Time – St. Anthony’s 20-13 Ananda
Ananda came into the second half with a renewed mindset, and their forwards continued to pile pressure on the Antonian defense. Star player Chamudhitha found an opening and scored a try, which he converted himself to level the scores at 20-all. (SACK 20-20 AC)
The Antonians looked rattled, conceding multiple penalties. One such penalty, within kicking range, was slotted by Chamudhitha to give Ananda their first lead of the game at 23-20. (SACK 20-23 AC)
A major turning point came in the 54th minute when Dinuka Jayasundara was shown a second yellow, resulting in a red card and reducing the Antonians to 14 men for the rest of the match.
Just three minutes later, Chamudhitha launched a high up-and-under. Lakmina mishandled the ball inside the 22, and Chamudhitha, who chased his own kick, pounced on the opportunity and ran in for a brilliant solo try. He added the conversion, extending Ananda’s lead to 30-20. (SACK 20-30 AC)
But the Eagles weren’t done yet. With nine minutes to go, they mounted a strong attack, and Deshan Liyanage went over for St. Anthony’s fourth try. Lakmina converted, bringing the score to 30-27. (SACK 27-30 AC)
In the final moments, the Antonians earned a penalty inside Ananda’s 22. With a chance to draw the game, they made the bold call to go for a scrum and try to win it. Unfortunately, a handling error at the base of the scrum saw the opportunity slip through their fingers, and Chamudhitha kicked the ball into touch to seal the win for Ananda.
This marks the fourth straight home defeat for the Antonians — a loss that will sting, especially given how close they came. Meanwhile, Ananda, having just been promoted to the top division this season, will be thrilled with the result. They’ve shaken up the standings with some outstanding performances, and this win will give them a lot of confidence and self-belief.
Full Time: St. Anthony’s College 20 (4T,2C,1P) Ananda College 30 (3T,3P,3C)
Swistek Player of the match: Deneth Chamudhitha (AC)
Point Scorers
Ananda College – Deneth Chamudhitha (2T,3C,3P), Janithu Perera (1T)
St.Anthony’s College – Kalpa Lakmina (2T,1P,2C), Randeer Perera (1T), Deshan Liyanage (1T)
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