St. Peter’s win Silver Jubilee fixture

In a fast and open game, St. Peter’s ran out winners by 3 goals to nil at the 25th JosephianPeterite Silver jubilee soccer match at the CR and FC ground on Saturday. With this win, St. Peter’s now have the Stanley De Silva Challenge trophy for keeps and become the inaugural winners of the new Rev. Joe. E. Wickramasinghe and Rev. Stanley Abeysekera challenge Trophy.

St. Peter’s maintain their lead in the series with 13 wins to St. Joseph’s 11, while both teams were joint champions one year.

When the whistle was blown and the game got underway, the Peterites had the territorial advantage and should have scored at lest twice in the first 10 minutes, but missed two easy chances.

However, in the 22nd minute, right extreme Peshara Rajakaruna found a gap in the Josephian defence and beat the Josephian custodian Rasnajaya Anuranga to put the first goal on the slate for the Peterits: 1-0.

In the 27th minute, midfield Niresah Sunderaraj crossed the Josephian line and fired a bullet from the right flank to put St. Peter’s two up.

Just before the whistle was blown for half time, St. Joseph’s were awardd a free kick, but a brilliant, leaping save by the Peterite keper a Ashfaq Ayub saved the bacon for this team.

After the change of ends, the forwards of both sides kept on attacking but the defenders held good. Midway in the second session midfield Niresh Sundaraj beat the Josephian keeprer Rasnajaya Anurange all ends up with a reverse kick to give St. Peter’s their third goal and take the glittering Joe. E. Wickramasinghe/Stanley Abeysekera trophy to Bamabalapitiya.

At the post match awards ceremony, Sachintha Maduranga was adjudged the most valuable player of St. Peter’s.

For the man of the match award, the adjudicator had no hesitation in naming Peterite midfield Niresah Sunderaraj as man of the match. Referee M.U.S. Kumara was in charge of the whistle and did an extremely good job in controlling the game.

(B.M.)