CR edge-out Army SC 31-22 at Welisara

By Amindha de Alwis

A productive day with the boot for Murshid Zubayr and Riza Mubarak helped CR and FC beat Army SC 31-22 in their Dialog Inter-Club League Rugby Tournament second-round encounter worked off at Welisara today (16).

The Red Shirts collected their points from three tries, two conversions and four penalties while the Soldiers responded with four tries of which only one was converted.

CR and FC got the scoreboard moving early on when they were awarded a penalty which Zubayr comfortably dispatched between the posts.

Army SC suffered a blow in the 12th minute of the game when Shehan Silva suffered an injury and had to be carried off the park.

CR and FC went 10 points up soon afterward as Milan Weerasinghe went over for a converted try.

The lead then swelled to 17 as Dinuk Amarasinghe made a smart offload to Zubayr who crossed the line and went on to add the conversion.

Army SC got themselves on the board with a try by full back Isuru Medagedera but CR and FC fired back with another try of their own; this time courtesy Janindu Dilshan, to have them leading 22-5 at the break.

CR and FC were reduced to 14-men soon after lemons when Sharo Fernando was given a second yellow card by the Referee.

Army SC had their opening to strike back and Fijian Tomasi Caqusau led the resurgence as he paved the way for tries by Ashan Bandara and then Lahiru Ratnayake.

Both tries went unconverted however as Medagedera struggled to find his touch with the boot.

Army SC had reduced the deficit down to 10 points by that stage but gave away too many penalties in the remainder of the game as Mubarak bisected the posts twice to put CR and FC up 28-15.

Army SC fought gamely and managed a late converted try through Sudaraka Dikkumbura but conceded yet another penalty to leave them staring down the barrel as Mubarak once again nailed his kick and sealed a 31-22 win for the Red Shirts.