The blue striped Lads from Darley Road held back the flamboyant three-quarter Brigades to a modest win in their annual encounter for the Rev. Fr. Basil Weeratunga Shield.
On a rain-stricken weather that submerged almost the entire playing field at Bamba, most enthusiasts failed to turn up at the kick-off, as they were expecting a certain abandonment. However, the young Peterites who were hard at work to draw out as much water as possible before the curtains rolled up, did a fabulous job in making it a playable turf. As the game progressed, the Stands kept filling until it was finally a decent turnout, that was fitting for a Joe-Pete match.
Pre-match, Joes had an uphill task of containing the super-fast and elusive SPC three-quarters, and they were looking at a defeat with a deficit of 30 plus points. With a little bit of help from the damp and slippery surface, and relentless defending and tackling by the visitors, the deficit was reduced to a mere 15. Both teams struggled with the wet conditions, hence made numerous errors throughout the game. However, St. Joseph’s Ball handling was pristine even in such slippery conditions, as they conceded only 3 unforced errors. This was a steep step up from their last game against Thurstan in which they conceded a whopping 12. Nevertheless, their penalty count shot up to 15, which should be halved before their next game. The other few shortcomings were due to the poor playing conditions, hence the Joes and their Clan should be proud of how the Boys carried the College Flag under turbulent weather.
St. Peter’s beat St. Joseph’s 25-10