• Lions prevail for first time at home since 2017
• Isipathana’s fate sealed in 41st minute

Brilliant fly-half Shan Althaf scored 17 points (a try, three conversions, and two penalty goals), as Trinity College posted a resounding 32-10 win over a 14-man disjointed Isipathana College in their Dialog Schools Rugby League match in Pallekele yesterday (26).

The Lions, led adroitly by inside centre and Player-of-the-Match Usman Safraz, played controlled and cohesive rugby from start to finish, and their resolute defence – a hallmark of their current winning streak – put the game beyond doubt, having led 17-5 at half-time.

The Trinity outside backs also came to the party, and besides skipper Safraz, wing Minula Yaddehige also stood out in both attack and defence, and the home side’s ‘threes’ combined with Althaf to give them the cutting edge.

The home team’s forward pack also impressed with the loose trio of Nisith Kumarasinghe, Hamza Abdeen, and Shrayan Satheeshkumar being a menace to the visitors throughout.

Isipathana’s fate was basically sealed in the 41st minute, when their backrower Shakib Zumri was given his marching orders (red card) by referee Ishanka Abeykoon, for dangerously lifting the Trinity Captain, who hit his head on the ground when being brought down.

The incident, which prompted the referee to consult his two assistants and then view video footage, virtually knocked the Greens off their game. 

The hosts cashed on the one-man advantage afterwards to record a bonus-point victory that further cements their position to regain the League title this season.

Trinity scored from four tries of which three were converted besides nailing two penalty goals, while Isipathana, who were clearly outplayed on the day, could only muster two touchdowns.

For the winners, openside flanker Abdeen, first five-eighth Althaf, right-wing Yaddehige, and substitute forward Disal Thomas dotted down respectively, with their gifted playmaker adding the extras and firing over the penalties to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

For the visitors, hardworking fullback Nimantha Sandeepa grabbed a brace with one in each half, but they struggled to mount any kind of challenge to the table leaders and came second best as a result following Zumri being sent off.

Trinity drew first blood in the third minute, when backrower Abdeen took a well-timed pass from his Captain Safraz, having linked with the backs to go over and with Althaf’s conversion, led 7-0.

Nine minutes later, Althaf put over a 30-metre penalty, to further increase the score to 10-0 and in the 27th minute, the Trinity outside half gave chase to a superb punt from his scrum-half Udan Wijekoon and fell on the loose ball; he then converted his own score for the home team to lead 17-0.

Isipathana, who hardly had any possession or territory to play with in the first 35-minute period, then managed to breach the Lions’ defence a minute out from half-time through Sandeepa, who collected a long cutout pass from Achintha de Costa.

After the interval and in the 38th minute, the Greens then managed to cross the Trinity whitewash for the second and last time, also courtesy of Sandeepa, but with fly-half Avishka Hiran failing to add the extras, the score stood at 17-10 in favour of the hosts.

Afterwards, Zumri’s brain-fade only six minutes into the second half pretty much put paid to Isipathana’s chances of making a game of it.

The Lions, being the well-oiled machine that they are, controlled the proceedings expertly from then on, to score 15 unanswered points to wrap up the contest in style.

For Trinity, Yaddehige dotted down having collected a deft cross-field kick from his stand off in the 54th minute, while they dumped their fourth and final try five minutes from full-time through Thomas, with Althaf converting the try having kicked a 35-metre penalty in the 44th minute.

By virtue of this win Trinity also savoured a first success in eight years in their own backyard over the Green Machine, with their previous victory coming under former No. 8 Nathan Yee.

Fazil Marija’s outfit also moved ever so close to regaining the elusive League title for the first time in almost four decades, as they now await home games against Wesley and St. Peter’s during the next fortnight.

Isipathana, though they did try hard as they could, were not really at the races and will head home looking to bounce back in the remaining League fixtures.

STC edge SPC 28-26

S. Thomas’ College scored a narrow 28-26 win over St. Peter’s College in their traditional rugby encounter as part of the Dialog Schools Rugby League tournament in Mount Lavinia yesterday.

Wesley beat Royal 24-17

Wesley College beat Royal College 24-17 in their Dialog Schools Rugby League match at the Royal Sports Complex yesterday. 

(JK)