Airmen earn first win of season, beating gallant Cops

Air Force Sports Club earned their first win of the ongoing Dialog Rugby League after convincingly beating the high-riding Police Sports Club 16-7 in a second round game played at Ratmalana yesterday.

The Airmen held on to a slender one-point lead, by 8-7 at halftime, and did well to spoil any chances of being beaten for yet another week with splendid second half play. Eventually the hosts celebrated their well deserved first win after scoring from two unconverted tries and two penalties. The Cops managed to score from a solitary converted try, which came in the first half.

The Airmen played with a different plan altogether as they countered their opponents well and in the end did the first scoring, through forward Parakrama Ratnayake in the seventh minute, to lead 5-0.

The Cops fought hard to counter the Airmen's attack and they finally managed to barge through flyhalf Suranga Kasun in the 22nd minute. Fullback Shafraz Amath added the extra points as Cops led 7-5, and led the game, giving an alarm to the hosts.

But a penalty that came in favour their in the 38th minute, was put over neatly by flyhalf Gayantha Iddamalgoda as Air Force led the halftime 8-7. Nothing came in their favour for the Cops in the second half as the hosts made all efforts valiantly to earn a win. Their efforts were paid off when Iddamalgoda booted the second penalty for Air Force, who further stretched the lead to 11-8 in the 61st minute. Four minutes later Ratnayake went over to land his and the team's second try, which went unconverted and despite losing a man in the final few minute, Air Force walked out winners for the first time this season.