Slithery Pathana hold Lions to a draw
At Havelock Park, a butter fingered Isipathana managed to hold a gallant Trinity side to a 12-all draw. Isipathana scored their points off four penalties while Trinity scored from a goal and a penalty. At half Trinity led by 12 points to 9.
Going into the game as favourites Pathana found that Trinity had a mission in this traditional encounter and no quarter was asked or given. This game has a history of competitive rugby garnished with camaraderie during and after the game. Isipathana moved into the Lion’s Den immediately off the Trinity kick off to the whistle of Referee Aaqil Jamaldeen. This foray was short lived as Trinity worked their way through and cornered Isipathana to five metres from the left flag on the club house side.
In the seventh minute hooker Niranjan Vitharana receiving a pass following a scrum breaking scored by the corner flag raising the voice of jubilant Trinity fans. Fly half Akitha Sakalasooriya was unsuccessful with the kick.
Isipathana then ran around the Trinity despite the ferocious tackling but dropped the ball at a time when in an attacking position. Yet they earned a penalty as Trinity forwards failed to stay on their feet. Centre Manilka Ruberu converted and cut the lead to 5 points to 3.
Trinity capitalised on the consistent ball dropping by Pathana and engineered their way through quick short passes and judicious hits for prop forward Mohammed Abdullah to power his way through and Sakalasooriya added the extra points to extend the lead to 12 points to 3. Trinity lost hard working Rajaratnam to a yellow card and Isipathana earned a relief after being under consistent attack of the Lions.
Trinity forwards failing to stay on their feet resulted in Manilka Ruberu making no mistake with the penalty kick and the scores read Trinity leading 12 points to three at half time.
In the ninth minute of the second half Trinity was pulled up for failing to release and Ruberu obliged by kicking over from kick a penalty 22 metres out and under the post to reduce the lead to 12 points 9.
The pendulum swung both ways as play moved both ways. Trinity earned another yellow for a dangerous play and from the following play Trinity were spotted offside at the breakdown and Ruberu opting to kick from 50 metres out founder the centre of the posts to level scores at 12 all with around 10 minutes of play left.
Try as they could to penetrate each other’s defense they were forced back through unforced errors and or not being disciplined at the breakdown. The eagerness if both team were short circuited through unstructured play and clumsy handling.
Both sides breathed a sigh of relief as the final whistle was blown and walked away with a 12-all scores which was a fitting finale.