Trinity College warmed up for their Bradby Shield against traditional rivals Royal next week with a timely 15-10 win over Isipathana College in their Singer ‘A’ Division inter-schools league rugby second round encounter played at Trinity grounds Pallekele, Kandy yesterday.
Trinity who held on to a slender 12-5 lead at half time secured their points through two tries, one conversion and one penalty to the two tries by Isipathana.
The Lions had some anxious moments in the first half and in the second half as well but found their fluency quickly. Isipathana will regret as they missed many easy scoring opportunities and added to that they also missed some easy penalties, some penalties at kicking range was not attempted while two conversions were kicked astray. Isipathana was no where close to the performance they put on against the Thomians last week and looked a side without any game plan to win the match.
Trinity, on the other hand though undergoing some anxious moments succeeded at the time when it needed the most. They maintained the lead through out the entire game. It was a close tussle in the first half with Trinity making inroads in the third minute of play and went in to a 5 nil lead through a try by prof forward Aveesha Priyankara which fly half Lashane Wijesuriya failed to add the extra points.
They soon forged ahead by planting another try within a couple of minutes through their open side winger Reshan Bandaranayaka ( youngest son of former Trinity Lion Rajeeve Bandaranayaka ) with Wijesuriya putting over the conversion saw the Trinitians stretch their lead to 12 nil.
Isipathana responded with a try nine minutes later when scrum half Harith Bandara scored collecting a ball from a line out and scampered through covering nearly 45 meters. Full back
Chamod Fernando missed the conversion. The scores read 12-5 in favour of Trinity which stood at the breather.
On resumption Trinity extended their lead to 15 points to 5 through a 25 metre penalty booted by Lashane in the 52nd minute of the game. After a hectic tussle Isipathana succeeded in reducing the lead to 15-10 with their vice captain cum full back Chamod Fernando going over for an unconverted try through a dynamic three quarter move which he himself failing to add the extra points.
Isipathana came back storming to grab the lead but were unable to do so as Trinity desperately hung on to the close lead before referee Rohan Fernando who did a marvellous job with the whistle blew full time.