Sri Lanka RL:Late heroics see Army through
Late heroics won Army SC the Plate trophy of the Dialog Rugby League ?A? Division yesterday, when they beat Police SC 21 points to 19, in a blockbuster encounter at Havelock Grounds.
Police, who made early inroads and held a half time lead, looked in a good position to win the ?winner-takes-all? contest before conceding a brace in the dying stages.
Despite neither managing to break down the others? defence, Police SC took an early lead, and were slightly ahead in the first quarter of the game when Shanaka Kumara fired his second penalty, the score reading 6-3, before Army pulled level ? after Kumara had put over a third penalty ? with another two penalties just short of the 30 minute mark.
Then, just on the stroke of half-time, Police SC?s Lahiru Gurusinghe scored the game?s first try, which was converted, to give them a 16-9 lead at lemons.
The score remained the same for the next quarter, despite both sides attempting to add to their scores. With 10 minutes on the clock, Saliya Hadapangoda scored Army SC?s first try -the conversion that would have levelled the scores again missed ? before Kumara extended the Police lead to five, with a fourth penalty.
With time running out, Army persisted with their attack and were rewarded, when minutes before the full-time whistle, they scored the all-important try, the conversion of which, saw them take the lead outright and secure a well-deserved Plate title, 21-19.
