Reviewed by Rehan Anandakumar
The much-anticipated clash between Trinity College Kandy and St. Peter’s College, unfolded at the St. Peter’s Grounds in Bambalapitiya, on the 10th of August. It was indeed one of the most fiercely contested encounters of the season.
First Half
Trinity kicked off the game with great domination earning a kickable penalty which was unfortunately missed. This was followed up to a high tackle which gave Peterites to score the first try in the corner. (SPC 05 – 00 TCK)
Desperate for scores, TCK used the penalty given to St.Peter’s for holding the ball by converting the penalty to bring the scores to (SPC 05 – 03 TCK).
The home team did feel the pressure from the visitors who were determined to close the gap. Murad Razian seized the loose ball, offloading it to Usman Shafraz who made a precise pass to Udisha Rathnayake who scored the first try for the visitors. This successfully ended in a conversion by Yevan Hulangamuwa pushing TCK in the lead (SPC 05 – 10 TCK)
The game got tense when Peterites were shown a yellow card and were down to 14 men. With this turn of events, Yevan Hulangamuwa of TCK, added three more points by converting the penalty successfully. (SPC 05 – 13 TCK)
However, Team TCK too had to lose one of their men to a yellow card making the field equal with 14 men on each side. Just before half time, Peterities engaged with the TCK defence and offloaded it to Nawodya who used the gap scoring a try right under the post which was an easy conversion bringing up their points to (SPC 12 – 13 TCK)
Half time – (SPC 12 – 13 TCK)
Second Half
Trinitians started the second half by earning a penalty which was converted by Yevan Hulangamuwa adding up the points to (SPC 12 – 16 TCK). The home team had to make a comeback, and they did so by dashing through the TCK defence and scoring a leading try with a score of (SPC 17 – 16 TCK)
Later, Peterities were penalized once again for tackling a player mid-air. Despite this setback, Peterities continued their game and managed to use a penalty by converting and adding more to their points (SPC 20 – 16 TCK)
In the 55th minute, Trinity added five more points thanks to the replacement hooker Dehan Watagoda who drove the team towards a try with a comeback score of (SPC 20 – 21 TCK)
Peterites bearing the pressure, scored a back-to-back try to gain control of the match by breaking through Trinity defence and making no mistakes with their conversion leading the game with the scores of (SPC 30 – 21 TCK)
With no plans to abandon their spirit, TCK formed a rolling maul which was scored by No 8 Thisanga Dissanayake and was converted by Yevan Hulangamuwa. Hoping for a comeback, TCK were attacking from the 22-meter line progressing towards the halfway mark, but Peterites managed to turn the ball over scoring a decisive try that was followed by a tense conversion leading to victory and assuring St.Peter’s College a place at the finals against Isipathana College next week.
Full Time – (SPC 37 – 28 TCK)
We congratulate Ranithu Ridmal (St. Peter’s College) for receiving the award: NDB Player of the Match and both the teams for playing one of the most intense matches of the season.
