A red hot but desperate CR & FC managed to defeat a fighting Air Force Sports Club outfit by a score of 29 to 24 in their inter-club league rugby match last week at Ratmalana as another week of matches rolled on.
The winners were up 24 to 10 at the half time break but CR as a fancied side showed some weaknesses in their overall defence and they should consider themselves lucky to have pulled it off in the end as the Air Force SC players performed admirably well even surprising their own supporters.
The Red Shirts were also fortunate that Gemunu Chethiya had crossed the line twice before the anxious moments set in while Lasindu Ishan, Mursheed Doray and Thenuka Nanayakkara also scored the tries for CR with Chathura Seneviratne and Nanayakkara on target with two conversions.
Overall CR will need to do some soul searching if they are to remain in contention to at least end the League as runners-up.
Nuwan Perera, Dilan Fernando and Kavisha Ruchirantha scored for Air Force SC while Nuwan Perera succeeded with three conversions and a penalty.
Kandy edge out Police
After leading 12 to 5 at half time, Kandy SC managed to pull off a hard fought 22 to 12 win over a dejected Police SC outfit at Police Park. For the winners Kandy SC, Tharinda Ratwatte- two and Srinath Sooriyabandara- one, scored the tries while Tharinda put over the two conversions and the penalty.
Rasith Silva scored one try to add to a penalty try for the losing Police SC while Yohan Fernando fired across the solitary conversion.
Havies in a runaway win over CH
Perhaps Havelocks scored the only impressive win of the week when they pulled off a runaway 31 points to 17 win over CH and FC at the Race Course ground after leading 20-9 at half time.
For the winning Havies outfit Azmeer Fajudeen, Nivanka Prasad, Randitha Warnapura, Shehan Dias and Maleesha Madumevan scored the tries with fly half Sandesh Jayawickrama put over the three conversions.
From the looks of it Havelocks seem to be the only team capable of breaking the backbone of the defending champions Kandy SC, but to win the title the Park Club will need to lift their game further.
Skipper and CH hooker Prasath Madushanka and Yohan Fernando scored the tries for the Maitland Crescent team while fly half Hirusha Sampath slotted in both conversions with Rohitha Rajapaksa executing the drop goal for the losing team.
Navy outplay Army
Navy SC outplayed Army SC by 41 points to 30 at Welisara last week after leading 29-18 at half time in a match that was of less importance in the context of how the League is moving.
For Navy, Harsha Maduranga scored a hat-trick of tries while Thanuja Maduranga crossed the line for two touch downs with Lahiru Herath scoring once.
Samuel Maduwantha converted four tries and slotted in the penalty as well.
Ashan Bandara scored two tries while Sudaraka Dikkumbura and Vinod Kumar touched down once with Isuru Medagedara putting over two conversions and slotting in two penalties for Army.