Old Bens win on tie breaker 4-3

Bernard PERERA

Old Bens sports carried away the Dialog Premier League Championship Trophy for the segment B beating Don Bosco Sports Club on a tie breaker four goals to three after the teams were on level terms at 1-1 each when the final whistle was blown by the referee.

The match began with fine weather conditions suitable for soccer and the teams played the best soccer available with them. It took 37 minutes to break the dead lock. It was Old Bens Anthony Prabagar after collecting a fine pass netted in the goal 1-0.

Don Bosco boys kept the pressure mounting and were seen going all out to find the equaliser but failed to do so before the half way mark. The teams came back with Bens in front 1-0.

The turn around saw the Negombo Club make a strong bid to find the equaliser through their skipper Dilip Peiris which they found in only two minutes of play into the second session from there onwards it was a ding dong battle with the best soccer being displayed by both teams.

In fact this was the game that produce clean soccer for the whole season, Bens on one side did the dribbling and trying to penetrate the defence of Bosco team. Bosco’s defence Kumara Fernando held a great wall to halt the main striker Romesh Wallace from scoring.

In the meantime Don Bosco strikers too took to the attack very strongly but could not do the most needed finishing touches to score. If their attempts were fruitful the game’s result could have changed. Sanjaya Silva Old Bens failed with a penalty kick awarded in the second session of play.

Old Bens famous for their dribbling power had most of the possession during this period. With ten minutes left for the final whistle a heavy downpour put a stop to classy soccer that was witnessed by the large number of spectators.

Under heavy rains the referee had to introduce the tie breaker system. The five shots taken by each team could not bring in a result with kicks from each team missing the target.

Referee continued the system it was Anthony Prabaga who made the difference with the sixth kick for Bens, while Ruwan Chanaka missed the vital kick which also gave the Kotahena Club the victory.

As predicted a earlier both teams stuck to their task to display good soccer for every one present and most importantly the discipline maintained by the players has to commended. Full credit should go to the officials handling the teams for guiding them to play in a fair manner.

Romesh Wallace who had a tally of nine goals this season received the best players award.

The winners Old Bens received the Dialog Premier League Trophy and a cash award of Rs. 300,000 while the runners-up carried a purse worth Rs. 200,000.

H. Rumy controlled the game. Though he pulled the yellow card on four occasions he did not have any chance to be tough with his orders.