CR and FC managed to continue with their unbeaten record in the Dialog Rugby League when they beat Army SC by 33 points to 10 in their final league fixture for the year 2019 at Longdon Place.
But CR’s win was also tainted as their captain Omalka Gunaratne set the wrong example by joining a clash after he was ordered to leave the field with a yellow card minutes before two rival players went for each other.
Both CR and Army displayed an aggressive pattern of play in the first few minutes of the game. However CR managed to scored the first points when they received a penalty and ace kicker Rezah Mubarak succeeded with the conversion in the 12th minutes. (CR 3 – 0 Army)
Soon after that Army SC got into act and fly half Manoj Bandara touched down under the post. Isuru Medagedara made no mistake with the straightforward conversion to give them the lead. (7-3)
CR and FC received two penalties in the 18th and 30th minutes and Rezah Mubarak was successful with the kicks once again that gave CR the lead. (Army 7-CR 9)
Meanwhile Army also scored three more points via a penalty kick by Isuru Madagedara in the 35 minute to take the lead 10-9.
Just before half time Rezah Mubarak put over another penalty and CR took the lead 12-10.
On resumption of the second half Janidu Dilshan scored the first points in the second half and Mubarak added the extra points. (CR 19 – 10 Army)
CR managed to increase their lead in the 49th minute when Supun Warnakulasuriya scored a try in the 48th minute. Mubarak added the extra points. (CR 26 – 10 Army)
As the contested heated up referee Ishanka Abeykoon yellow carded CR skipper Omalka Gunaratne in the 52nd minute and Reeza Rafaideen scored their next try for Mubarak to make his seventh successful conversion. (CR 33 – 10 Army)
CR managed to register their fourth successive victory but failed to secure a bonus point.
CR and FC skipper Omalka Gunaratne seemed to have outgrown his boots and yesterday despite being ordered to sit out the match against Army for 10 playing minutes with a yellow card, disregarded the law and raced onto the pitch to take part in a ‘clash’ between two rival players. Neither the referee nor the match officials took any action against Gunaratne who set the wrong example for his players.