Last minute attacking play by the Antonians did not suffice to prevent Wesley College from retaining their Plate title for the second successive occasion defeating St. Anthony’s College 26-20.
A repeat of the last year’s finals; Wesley took home silverware with a last minute match winning try retaining Plate title for another year in Colombo. Dilan Neuman’s Antonian team came in this time around eyeing vengeance for the previous mishap.
An encounter which could have drifted in favor of either team when the score at lemons stood at 7-6 in favor of the hosts, two back to back tries from the Wesley three quarters sealed them the game.
The hosts Wesley started off with a well worked try on the outside from a penalty inside their attacking 22m allowing PHD Ranaweera to score through the open gaps of the St. Anthony’s defense. Skipper Kutubdeen added the extras as Wesley got themselves a head start (7-0).
The visitors replied to Ranaweera’s try as tactical thinking by the visiting skipper Dilan Neuman opting to go for points got them the three points off a 22m penalty. Supun Maduwantha kicked the points. (7-3)
Maduwantha continued his success from his first kick as he kicked the other opportunity he received with ease to cut the deficit to a single point (6-7).
The first half of play was clearly below par in taking both team strengths as no other try was conceded. St. Anthony’s attempted a 40m penalty just before lemons in a bid to put them in the lead but Maduwantha was unsuccessful on that occasion and the ball drifted leftward.
Half Time 6-7
With the encounter not having its prospective winner after 40 minutes of play, it was the Eagles who broke the silence with a resounding try by Dilan Jayatissa who scored under the posts covering almost 40 meters (11-7). Maduwantha was spot on and with the extras through, St. Anthony’s had themselves a satisfactory lead of 6 points (13-7).
To the visitors’ dismay, the lead was short lived. Right from the restart, the double blues were ogling the try line at all possible occasions. The Lee brothers who are currently playing in the Wesley jersey were able to get them the lead back as an offload pass by scrum half Avantha Lee to his brother Ashwantha Lee allowed him to side step inward through the defense to score. Kutubdeen’s conversion set Wesley once again with a single point lead (14-13).
The zam zam zakey had the privilege of extending their lead further more as Omar Kutubdeen bolstered through the Antonian defense single handedly to score off a 5 meter penalty. Chamika Kusal added the extras (21-13).
The visitors not giving up the fight came back into the game with a late attack which was led by skipper Neuman Dilan getting Dinuk Amerasinghe to score off the break but it did not help them to go further up in points even after Maduranga’s conversion (21-20).
The hosts replied to the try scored by their counterparts utilizing one of their set pieces as a box kick off scrum half Ashvantha Lee allowed PHD Ranaweera to score the fifth try in this final encounter (26-20). The unconverted try gave the Wesleyites the breathing space as they made sure that the lead lasts till the final whistle.
Neuman Dilan’s helpless effort to make that final break to change the match was unsuccessful in the end as the referee’s whistle signaled that Wesley College had won this encounter.
With this win, Wesley College retains the Plate title for the second year running, as both St. Anthony’s and Wesley qualify for the Top Division next year.
Full Time Score : Wesley 26 (4T 3C) St. Anthony’s 20 (2T 2C 2P)
