Royal claims First Leg 15-10 in Hayman Trophy

In an electrifying aquatic battle at the Sugathadasa Stadium Swimming Pool on Saturday, Royal College pulled off a stunning comeback to win the first leg of the 30th Dr. RL Hayman Trophy annual water polo clash against arch-rivals S. Thomas’ College. The final scoreline stood at 15-10, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats.

S. Thomas’ College made an impressive start, dominating the first quarter with a score of 5-2. However, Royal College turned the tables, leading in the following three quarters with scores of 4-1, 4-2, and 5-2 respectively. The Reid Avenue School supporters cheered lustily for their their team.

The turning point came when Royal College capitalized on a penalty awarded to them. Their skipper Randa Ranatunga scored, propelling them ahead at 7-6. Thomian Migara Gurusinghe quickly equalized at 7-all, but Royal regained the lead at 8-7 with a powerful shot from prop Yasantha de Silva. Migara Gurusinghe, in tandem with Anuga Hangunpathirana, brought S. Thomas’ back into contention, leveling the score at 8-all. At this juncture, pressure mounted on the Thomians. In a high-pressure situation, Dimitri Liyanage made a crucial shot to put Royal ahead at 9-8.

Royal’s intensity was palpable, even as Thomian captain Yuman Bollegala remained on the bench after the first quarter. The decisive moment came when Royal Captain Ranatunga showcased outstanding shooting skills, extending their lead to 10-8.

In the dying minutes of the third quarter, Thomian goalkeeper Migara Gurusinghe demonstrated excellence, limiting Royal to a 10-8 lead. During this quarter, Royal scored four goals to Thomians’ two, with nine shots taken by Royal and eight by Thomians. Royal boasted a shooting accuracy of 44 percent, while S. Thomas’ achieved a 25 percent success rate.

Despite trailing 5-2 at the start of the second quarter, Royal’s skipper Ranatunga won the swim ball, kick starting their resurgence. Prop Yasantha de Silva scored, narrowing the gap to 3-5. Ranatunga scored again, making it 4-5 in favour of Thomians. Thomian skipper Yumal Bollegala widened the deficit, scoring another goal to make it 6-4. Royal continued to press in the second quarter, with Randa Ranatunga scoring with the assistance of prop Yasantha de Silva, bringing the score to 6-5 in favour of Thomians. The second quarter ended in a thrilling deadlock at 6-all.

Royal managed to draw level, thanks to de Silva, who assumed an impressive center prop position, displaying strength and control. In the crucial second quarter, Randa Ranatunga scored an awkward yet vital goal. S. Thomas’ College initially led 5-2 in the first quarter, but Royal

Captain Ranatunga’s excellent goal in the final minutes breathed life into his team, making it 5-2 in favour of Thomians. Until the dying stages of the first quarter, S. Thomas’ had a commanding 5-0 lead.

This year’s encounter differed markedly from the high-scoring game of the previous year, which Thomians won 37-17. The first leg concluded with a score of 15-10 in favour of Royal College, setting the stage for a highly anticipated second leg. which will be officiated by Singaporean referees Javier OH and Ting Wai Piew, on October 7 at the same venue.

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