Neptunes V 13

S. Giljan Z 4

(5-2, 1-1, 4-0, 3-1)

Neptunes registered their first official table-related win when they beat neighbours San Giljan with a significant 9 goal margin.

One surely has to compliment the ASA for the efficient computerised team-list and score card system which they put in force for this current Winter League. The program used is quite professional and is definitely beneficial for all journalists. Well done ASA!

It was the Saints, through Matthew Zammit, who opened the score but the champions immediately replied through a Matthew Pisani brace only for Zammit to equalise shortly afterwards.

However Neptunes managed to open a 3 goal lead by the end of the first session when captain Niki lanzon beat Dean and then it was Steve Camilleri who netted two consecutive goals for a 5-2 momentary score line.

San Giljan, who are led by Claudio Silvestri who way back in the layte eighties led the reds to four consecutive titles, a record shared with rivals Sliema, tried to crawl back intot he game and initially managed to reduce the margin through a John Xerri de Caro goal on a man-up.

Yet one then had to wait for several minutes before the Saints netted another goal, with Zammit grabbing a personal hat-trick, which happend to also be their last. They surely were wasteful in their man-up situations with over ten missed opportunities.

In the meantime, Neptunes had opened a 12-3 lead winning the third session 4-0 (a Karl Galea brace, one of them on a man-up, and goals from Michele Stellini and Sean Gravina).

Early in the last session, both Pisani and S. Camilleri scored a goal a-piece to grab their respective hat-trick and poker of goals.

Twelve seconds from the end, Neptunes’ youngster Timmy Agius scored with a low shot to the left corner. The reds however lost captain Lanzon on a definite exclusion two minutes from the end with their neighbours losing Anthony Galea in a similar manner a minute earlier.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 1, J. Camilleri, K. Galea 2, T. Agius 1, J. Brownrigg, S. Camilleri 4, G. Sammut, D. Camilleri, S. Gravina 1, D. Caruana, M. Stellini 1, M. Pisani 3.

San Giljan:K. Schembri, C. Spiteri de Barro, A. Galea, C. Bonello, M. Pace, M. Zammit 3, G. Toth, J. Bonnici, M. Miggiani, D. Camilleri, S. Borg, J. Xerri de Caro 1, K. Lanzon.

Refs: P. Balzan, M. Caruana

Sliema MD 8

Sirens 3

(1-0, 2-1, 3-1, 2-1)

Sliema took solitary leadership in the table when they registered their second win when they beat Sirens and again suffered only three goals in the proceedings, similar to last week versus San Giljan.

The blues displayed solid zone defence and this made the big difference on the day as Sirens, who last week beat Neptunes 9-6, rarely found a clear path for goal.

Both sides missed an initial man-up before ex-Jonathan Valletta (this time around sporting the number 8 blue cap after the number 10 cap, which he used last week, was taken by Sliema product Francesco Cutajar who made his first seasonal appearance after previously hinting that he would call it a day) scored the only goal in the first session when he found the net in the fifth minute with Privitera excluded.

This was also Valletta’s first time that he faced his old club after his transfer to the blues some months ago.

Ten minutes into the game, Sirens equalised when Paul Fava tussled for open space and then beat Cachia in the Sliema goal.

Edward Aquilina grabbed his first on the day when he found the net on a K. Rizzo Naudi man-up after a precise Valletta assist.

The same goal getter then, seconds before the change of ends, managed to steal the ball off Borg, by going under water, and then swam the length of the pitch before passing to Michael Rizzo who beat Grech with a diagonal conclusion.

Early in the third session Sirens made it 2-3 when Paul Privitera, already on two personal fouls (similar to Valletta), immediately converted a Debono exclusion.

However Sliema made a vital step toward victory when in the remaining six minutes of the third session they scored three successive goals.

First it was Aquilina who scored on a Fava exclusion with luck also on his side after his shot bounced off the post and Grech’s head before entering into the net. Minutes later, the same Aquilina grabbed his hat-trick with his shot being also deflected by the Sirens’ defenders.

John Soler then made it 6-2, off the crossbar, with Montfort excluded.

Sirens could have reduced the margin before the session’s end after winning a penalty for an Aquilina foul on Clint Mercieca but Josie Cachia thwarted Privitera’s five metre shot.

The game was practically over when Valletta scored his personal brace with a powerful bounce shot with Privitera being fouled out.

In the remaining minutes both sides netted a respective goal.

Fava netted Sirens’ third and final goal with a close range back hand off a rebound and then, on the opposite end, Soler broke away and casually slid the ball behind Grech.

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina 3, M. Rizzo 1, M. Meli, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella, J. Valletta 1, C. Debono, F. Cutajar, J. Gabaretta, M. Calleja, A. Bianchi.

Sirens: A. Grech, P. Fava 2, K. Rizzo Naudi, P. Privitera 1, J. Rizzo Naudi, E. Bonello, J. Borg, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort, C. Zammit, C. Mercieca, R. Attard, J. Sammut.

Refs: M. Dalli, A. Deraffaele

A new waterpolo website was launched yesterday with coverage of the local Winter League and other items. Log on to www.vassallowaterpolo.wetpaint.com