Royal College produced the sparks in an eventful second half to down a fighting Wesley College outfit 20-12 in a closely contested Milo Trophy semi final match at Ceylonese Rugby & Football Club Grounds yesterday.

The Royalists shrugged off the shackles placed on them by Wesley, through their backs, who combined well to punch three holes in the Wesley defence.

A 12-0 lead Wesley enjoyed in the first half made an appreciative crowd believe that the lads from Campbell Park would create an upset. But tries from Royal’s Rimzy Jamaldeen, Chamara Dabare and Mushin Faleel destroyed Wesley’s chances of pulling off the match.

The first half belonged to Wesley who kept the ball with their forwards and pushed forward. Skipper and utility player Azmil Omar was a tower of strength for Wesley and marshaled the players by leading from the front. He played as scrum half and also in the three quarter line and mesmerized the opponents with his quick thinking and bulldozing runs. His booming kicks put Royal under pressure time and again.

Wesley had a grand first half and scored with the game four minutes old when winger R De Silva scored off a backline move. Omar added the extra points.

The aggressive Wesley pack scored next when lock W.R Perera went over off a forwards rush.

Royal settled down beautifully in the second half and scrum half Deen Casim fed his threes who were screaming to run down the park. Rimzy Jamaldeen sliced through the Wesley defence when he darted through for the team’s first try which was followed by touchdowns by Dabare and Faleel, the latter scoring under the posts.

Jamaldeen converted one try and booted right a penalty.