Isipathana, known for their unrelentingly awesome Green Machine prowess would be ruing their highly lamentable let down performance in losing from a box seat 24-8 half time stranglehold to suddenly letting go that grip over Royal College to losing 31-34 in Saturday’s Dialog Schools’ Rugby League Tournament from that impregnable domination of Royal’s own backyard.
In that game changing astounding final result Royal College’s way in their final Cup segment match for the Milroy Fernando Trophy of the Dialog Schools League Rugby Tournament, Isipathana’s Green Machine firepower failing them was by a long stretch a bad let down of the high flying reputation Isipathana rugby has basked in of that 15-man powerhouse letting slip from under their noses what was firmly in their hands. So much so giving rise to how such a melt down occured like dissolving ice cream.
The final score line read:
Royal three converted tries, two unconverted tries, and one penalty and Isipathana three converted tries and two unconverted tries.
Isipathana’s Green Machine firepower failing them was by a long stretch a bad let down of the high flying reputation Isipathana rugby has basked in of that 15-man powerhouse letting slip from under their noses what was firmly in their hands. So much so giving rise to how such a melt down occured like dissolving ice cream.
The final score line read:
Royal three converted tries, two unconverted tries, and one penalty and Isipathana three converted tries and two unconverted tries.
As it was. Isipathana simply bulldozed Royal in the first half initial 35 minutes 3–24 at the break.
Isipathana drew first blood with Madushan barging ver in the 11th minute with Avishka Hiran converting to lead 7–0.
Royal hit back with a 21st minute penalty reducing the deficit to 3–7. However. Isipathana stepped up the momentum with the fast centre, Nimantha Sandeepa, crossing overlu in the 24th minute. The conversion went abeging. Yet Isipathana led 12–3.
Isipathana’s forwards went on the rampage with No 8 Shaakid Zumri powering over in the 31st minute. Avishka Hiran converted as Isipathana took a 27–3 lead.
In that fall back Royal’s prop Yositha Situmina was sin binned for foul play as Pathana maximised things when Yuvindu Kodithuwakku worked the ball in the 35th minute from a smart backline thrust and Hiran’s conversion saw Isipathana in control 24–3 at half time .
Soon after into the second half Royal No 8 Disas Pathirana planted a try, but the conversion failed hitting the upright with Royal now 8–24.
By the 45th minute, Royal’s pack got going to paving a try by Amika Samarasinghe with Mohamed Simak converting to thinning the lead to 15–24.
Isipathana though reached the high of 31 points through a 52nd minute try by Nevith Mewanka with Avishka Hiran converting to lead lead 31-15.
But .not long after came the game changing moments as Royal exploited a driving maul for an unconverted try by Imizal Nazeera to reducing the lead to 11 points. By the 63rd minute, winger Yoshitha Sithumina bargedd over in the corner, and Simak’s bulls eye conversion made it 27–31 as the showdown reached a climax with the final minutes ticking by as, Royal’s prop forward Sithumina crashed through from close range, with full-back Yuwan Pathirana making no mistake with the decisive conversion for s truly glorious comeback 34–31 hurrah..