Thari’s last minute penalty takes CR through

By Shamseer Jaleel

Scores stood at 20-apiece with two minutes of play left when CR & FC playmaker Tharinda Ratwatte was on target with a penalty kick to take his team through in a sensational 23/20 win at Longdon Place. This will give a glimmer of hope for the Longdon Place club in the Super four round.

Stephen Sivaraj put over a penalty for CR. Navy hit back after 15 minutes through a Gihan Perera try and Thilina Weerasinghe conversion. Omalka Gunaratne scored CR’s first try. Weerasinghe’s penalty took the Sailors into the lead at 10/8.

Raveen De Silva and Weerasinghe extras took them into comfort at 17/8. Shehan Dias’s try took CR closer to Navy score at 13/17.

The second half was a scrappy affair full of errors where the Sailors had many golden opportunities in scoring. Harith Bandara scored for CR with Tharinda adding the extras to take the lead at 20/17. But the Sailors hit back through their skipper’s penalty to equalise the scores at 20 apiece. CR were awarded with a penalty 40-meters out which Tharinda Ratwatte was on target to take the win.