Police overrun Havies to clinch K/O title
What started off as a dream run, clipping off the defending champions from a double title from the semi-final, Police Sports Club continued their similar clinical pattern to overrun Havelock Sports Club 19-12 and claim the coveted SLR Nippon Paint Clifford Cup Knockout Championship at the Racecourse ground yesterday.
After thrashing league champions and title holders CH&FC 40-16 in the first semi-final earlier this week, with a stupendous and clinical performance, the Cops continued their march with an even better outing against the former winners.
With pressure being mounted from the kickoff itself, Police thwarted many attempts made by Havelocks to hold on to a 5-0 at halftime, after an eventful first half. Eventually they regained the Clifford Cup after a lapse of 33 years, with a final tally of three tries and two conversions, after a grueling game. The last occasion they laid the hands on the title was in 1991, when they edged CH&FC 13-11.
Havelocks, who made a late burst to overcome CH&FC in the second semifinal by 37-27, scored from two tries and a conversion.
Seemingly both teams played to a well plotted game plan from the beginning, with Police taking the bulk of honours. Despite regular mishaps, Havies too managed to stick to their plans, perhaps being more cautious after their opponents dislodged the league winners
CR&FC on Tuesday, ending their unbeaten spree through the season.
But it was a canny backhand move from Akash Madusanka, that enabled his fellow centre Hirantha Perera to touch down in the 35th minute for an unconverted try.
With both teams losing their flankers – Senal Deelaka and Lahiru Thilakaratne – in the 52nd and 56th minutes separately, the game became more intense. But most of the offensive moves were spearheaded by the Cops, who were eventually rewarded with a try off flanker Shanaka Harischandra off a forward move in the 65th minute. With fullback Prince Chamara’s conversion, they expanded the lead to 12-0.
With time fading away, Havies showed resistance pushing the Cops off limits, to end with a beautifully mastered try off centre Muhsin Faleel in the 70th minute. With fullback Samuel Maduwantha’s conversion, they showed their intentions, despite trailing 7-12 with 10 minutes left.
But the Cops were composed and unshaken by the sudden breakthrough, and went on to add more pressure on their opponents, to eventually score their third try in the 73rd minute. Prop Thabith Hafiz had the honour to brace the try
after an attacking maul, and with Chamara’s conversion they expanded the lead further to 19-7, putting matters beyond doubt.
But the Havies were unwilling to give in. Just a minute prior to the final whistle,
they breached the defence to have winger Jayathu Rajaratne score a try far left, before referee Gihan Yatawara called the game off as Police SC and their supporters jumped in joy celebrating a deserving title win.