CH down Air Force to record first victory

By Shannon Nicholas

CH and FC recorded their first win of the season when they beat a lacklustre Air Force Sports Club outfit 26-18 in their Dialog Inter-Club League Rugby Tournament fixture worked off at the Racecourse Grounds in Reid Avenue yesterday (25).

The winners scored four tries and two penalties whereas Air Force SC managed only to score two tries, one conversion and two penalties.

CH and FC had a slender 15-8 lead at half time.

It was CH and FC’s Anuradha Herath who got the match underway in emphatic style when he scored the first try with just two minutes on the clock.

Collecting a quick pass from Avantha Lee, the winger dashed through the baffled Air Force SC backline to touch down.

Samuel Maduwantha had a rare misfiring day throughout as he missed the conversion (5-0).

Niwanka Prasad managed to score CH and FC’s second try five minutes later, after Air Force SC were reduced to 14-men with Charles Praveen’s yellow card, amending the scores to 10-0.

The prop forward managed to score his second try moments later, after some excellent passing across the field saw him get the better of the Air Force SC defence.

The conversion was wasted and the scores read 15-0.

Ten minutes later, CH and FC were caught off guard when Jero Danangaya pulled off a stunning try for Air Force SC.

He was at the end of a clever pass off Praveen and managed to plant their first try (5-15).

Gayantha Iddamalgoda managed to reduce the deficit as he bisected the poles through a penalty which amended the scores to 8-15.

Fly half Iddamalgoda put over Air Force SC’s second penalty after Sudam Sooriarachchi was sin-binned. His counterpart Maduwantha made up for his slips as he too managed to convert a penalty minutes later, making the scores read 18-11.

Five minutes later, Chathura Dilshan got his name on the score sheet as he scored the hosts’ fourth try.

In the 65th minute, Air Force SC suffered a double blow when Iddamalgoda was shown yellow and Praveen was shown red following a team infringement during a ruck.

Maduwantha converted the subsequent penalty with ease, making the scores read 26-11.

CH and FC were punished for sloppy play when fly half Nuwan Perera pulled off a try for Air Force SC in the dying stages of the game.