Sharks record second win; edge through to win over Air Force
Hambantota Sharks edged through to a close 20 points (2 tries, 1 goal, 1 penalty) to 17 (2 tries and 1 goal) win to record their second win in the ongoing Dialog ‘A’ Division league rugby game at the Air Force ground in Ratmalana yesterday. The Sharks led 10-5 at the breather.
The game gathered a lot of momentum in the second half with Air Force concentrating on opening the game out. However it was the Hambantota Shark’s centre Emori Waqa who scored a try in the eighth minute and full back Amjad Buksh made sure of the conversion with the wet ball. Then in the fourteenth minute Amjad Buksh put over an easy penalty and the sharks led 10-0 at this stage. With a quarter of the game remaining Sharks flanker Lahiru Mudalige was sin-binned by Referee D. Nimal.
In the 24th minute Air Force centre Kishan Soorya opened scoring with a try but fullback Charith Seneviratne missed the conversion. Sharks 10, Air Force 5.
Sharks scored their second try in the 30th minute when centre Priyantha Ekanayake touched down but Amjad Buksh missed the conversion. Sharks 15, Air Force 5.
Air Force scored next when prop Ranuka Madagedara scored and Charith Seneviratne was on target with the conversion.
In the 39th minute left winger Lahiru Sachintha added another five points to the Sharks with a try by the left corner flag. The conversion however was fluffed. Sharks led 20-12 during the second half.
After a ding-dong battle when no points were scored for a length period Ranuka Madagedera scored his second try to put Air Force score to 17 and the Sharks points to 20.
The Air Force conversion was missed by foreign player Vilikesa Qio. Before the commencement of the game two minutes silence was observed in memory of the four Air Force men who died in the plane crash at Hokandara on Friday.