CH in smashing 29-10 win over Havelocks

Ranjeeva SENEVIRATNE

CH and FC came up with their best performance for the season to score a smashing 29 points (three goals, one try, one penalty) to 10 (one goal, one penalty) win over Havelocks Sports Club in their Caltex ‘A’ division league rugby match played at Maitland Crescent yesterday after leading 22-3 at the breather. They were awarded the Saranga Jayakody Memorial Trophy which was on offer for the first time.

It was CH’s marauding forwards who paved the way for this victory. Flanker Dilanka Wijesekera was a source of inspiration to his team-mates with his terrific loose play and was ably supported by Jayantha Ranaweera, Dinesh Sanjeewa, Sumedha Malewana, Saashika Cooray and schoolboys Sajith Saranga (Isipatana) and Bilal Hassen (Royal) as the CH ‘eight’ outplayed their counterparts in the loose.

CH preferred to keep play with their forwards and fly half Omar Hassen’s long kicks to touch gave them territorial advantage. Havelocks opened scoring in the 22nd minute when fly half Samantha Lakshan fired across a 25 metre penalty.

Ten minutes later CH snatched the lead when winger Niranjan Wickremaratne collected a kick by a Havelocks defender and dashed through 40 metres to fall over by the right corner flag for a glorious try.

Omar Hassen missed the conversion. Five minutes later CH hooker and Sri Lanka under 19 player Bilal Hassen broke away from a maul in the Havelocks ‘25’ and powered his way to touch down under the posts to give Omar Hassen an easy kick at goal and CH led 12-3.

Two minutes later CH won a scrum in the Havelocks ‘25’ and set their three quarters in motion and winger Niranjan Wickremaratne burst through to score mid right. Omar Hassen converted (CH 19-3). On the stroke of half time Omar Hassen fired across a 20 metre penalty to make it 22-3 in favour of CH at ‘lemons’.

In the 15th minute of the second half CH flanker Dilanka Wijesekera collected a kick ahead by a Havelocks defender and slung out a pass to winger Indika Udayakumara who sped over 40 metres to score by the right corner flag. Omar Hassen made a splendid conversion and CH led 29-3.

In the dying stages of the game Havelocks won a 10 metre line out and hooker Rajiv Perera crashed through for a try by the right corner flag. Samantha Lakshan made a spectacular conversion and CH ran out worthy winners by 29 points to 10.

Referee: Dilroy Fernando