Marsascala Breakers 2

Sirens 2X 5

(1-1, 0-2, 1-1, 0-1)

M’Scala: I. Bugeja, C. Spiteri de Barro, A. Galea 1, P. Privitera, C. Gialanze, J. Xerri de Caro, J. Licari 1, L. Grixti, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, P. Fava, M. Spiteri, D. Ciappara

Sirens: J. Caruana Dingli, G. Grech, J. Rizzo Naudi, K. Rizzo Naudi, C. Cauchi, J. Valletta, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort 1, C. Zammit, C. Mercieca 2, R. Attard, N. Cassar.

Refs: Miro Caruana, Alex de Raffaele

Sirens joined Sliema at the top of the table on five wins in a lack-lustre match. Both defences had the edge over their opponents.

But Marsascala were weak in attack and paid the price when a man down as Sirens converted four of their five occasions.

Marsacscala netted their first opportunity but missed their next two man-up occasions in the second session.

They were hit twice by Sirens in this session and at the halfway stage the St.Paul’s Bay side was leading 3-1.

Karl Montfort increased Sirens’ lead after the break on another man-up opportunity and then Marsascala produced the best goal of the match on a fast Tony Galea break and an exquisite push-shot found the back of the net.

Sirens looked good enough to hold their two-goal lead in the final session and they made sure two minutes from time with Clint Mercieca’s second personal goal.

San Giljan F Clark 11 Marsaxlokk F/port 8

(1-1, 5-3, 2-1, 3-3)

San Giljan: K. Schembri, K. Lanzon 1, K. D’Ugo, C. Bonello 3, G. Ghirxi, M. Zammit 4, I. Azzopardi, M. Pace, G. Farrugia, A. Borda, S. Borg 2, J. Spiteri, K. Grima Scott 1.

Marsaxlokk: R. Bonnici, S. Cachia 3, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia 1, N. Kerr 1, C. Bugeja 1, C. Jones, S. Cutajar 1, K. Incorvaja, M. Rizzo, D. Cassar, M. Cutajar, G. Zammit 1.

Refs: M. Angileri, P. Balzan

Five consecutive goals scored in the final minutes of the second session and the initial moments of the third session were the main influential point in this match between two second division sides.

In fact after eleven minutes of effective play, Marsaxlokk were holding a tight 4-3 lead.

They had forged ahead through the first of three Simon Cachia’s goals in the game (this was on a man-up as the southerners had a nice 6 on 8 goal percentage).

However, also on a man-up, the Saints’ tenacious centre Keith Grima Scott equalised for a 1-1 score at the end of the first session.

With San Giljan missing two man-ups, Marsaxlokk took the opportunity to go again in the lead through goals from Gordon Zammit, Simon Cutajar and Cachia for 4-3.

Matthew Zammit equalised shortly afterwards and until the change of ends the Saints went 6-4 in the lead with a Silvio Borg brace on two consecutive man-ups.

M’Xlokk’s morale surely plummeted when they suffered an additional two goals early in the third session (a Clyde Bonello brace) so that there were now four goals separating the two teams.

M’Xlokk tried to open up the game again and they did so momentarily as three man-up goals placed them just 7-8 behind their opponents five minutes form the end of the game.

Both sides missed a respective man-up and then the Saints ascertained their victory when Kayne Lanzon beat Bonnici and shortly afterwards Matthew Zammit (a poker for him in the game) scored a penalty.