BOV National League – Premier

Late goals deny Exiles their victory

Sirens Ritter Sport     10     Exiles Ferretti     10         

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

 

Exiles were in a good position to register their first league victory of the season, as they took command of the match in the second period of play. Sirens had to do some hard chasing, but their efforts bore fruit in the last quarter, when they overcame a double deficit, and two rare Andrea Sammut goals tied the game for them. Both sides could have won the match in the closing stages, but the score remained the same, with Sirens failing to get closer to Sliema in the standings, and challenge properly for the third position. At the start of the match there was a minute of silence, in remembrance of the demise of the father of the Parliamentary Secretary of Sport, Chris Agius.

Two quick Csaba Kiss strikes gave Sirens an early advantage. Exiles reduced the arrears, but Sirens again doubled their lead, but then missed a penalty throw, with Ian Bugeja saving off Kiss. In the second session Exiles next goal, a Gergely Katonas  penalty, was answered by Sirens, but then Exiles struck a bright patch, with three goals in a row, mas they grabbed their first advantage. Sirens replied well, with a brace of goals, and a Christian Presciutti penalty, but David Pace Lupi had Exiles on level terms by the interval, on a 6-6 score.

Exiles came out full of fir after the break, again striking three times in succession. Sirens return was a single Presciutti goal, with Exiles going into the last period on a

9-7 lead. Presciutii again struck for Sirens, but then missed another penalty for them, after James Spiteri Staines, back from his road injury, gave Exiles a double advantage.

It was left to Sammut to save the game for Sirens. In the final seconds of the match the Exiles coach, Maurizio Mirarchi, received his marching orders, for his protests,

Presciutti finished with a poker of goals for Sirens, and Exiles had two players with hat tricks, Pace Lupi and Katonas, the latter out on three fouls, early on in the last session.

Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi , C. Presciutti 4, G. Pace , M. Grech , C. Kiss 2, D. Cutajar 2, J. Napier , E. Aquilina , L. Caruana , A. Sammut 2, M. Pisani

Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, S. Vassallo , D. Zammit Lupi 3, G. Katonas 3, D. Borg ,  J. Spiteri Staines 1, K. Grixti , L. Sekulic 1,  P. Borg 1, B. Lanzon , N. Paris , K. Lanzon

Referees: M. Dalli, L. Castagnola

 

BOV  National League – Premier

Saints edge nearer to Neptunes in the standings

Valletta McDonalds     10     San Giljan Allcare     14       

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

 

San Giljan did not let the occasion pass by as they overcame the Valletta hurdle to go within two points of the champions, and make the top end of the table a closer one.

Valletta were more competitive at the start, but they began to fall behind from the second period onwards, with the Saints able to keep control of the match till the end. San Giljan were without Karl Galea, his place taken by the young Ben Plumpton. All in all Valletta’s Milos Korolija was held in a tight grip by the Saints’ defence, whilst San Giljan had young Kai Dowling playing his best match this season, and he was a continuous thorn to the City rearguard.

Valletta replied three times to the first San Giljan goals, as Djorde Filipovic opened their account with a penalty. Then City scored twice, to grab their only lead in the match, but the Saints responded with two goals of their own before the end of the session. In the next period Valletta were guilty of wasting three man ups, and they paid the price, as San Giljan struck twice more, to arrive at the interval resting on a 7-4 advantage.

After the break San Giljan began to open up their lead, going into a maximum 10-5 advantage. but the Citizens were able to recoup with a brace of goals, although the Saints could go into the last quarter on a 10-7 lead. Both sides were able to increase their goal tally, but Valletta were only able to answer back to the Saints’ strikes, and the result was never in any doubt, as San Giljan coasted through to their victory.

Dowling finished with a total of four goals, and Alex Radovic added three more for the Saints. Valletta had three players all on hat tricks, Charlie Zammit, Filipovic and Michael Rizzo.

Valletta: R. Sciortino, R. Mock , M. Spiteri Staines , M. Korolija, N. Bonello Ghio , D. Abela , D. Paolella , C. Zammit 3, C. Debono 1, R. Scerri , M. CXordina , D. Filipovic 3, M. Rizzo 3

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, A. Galea 1, B. Plumpton , K. Dowling 4, M. Zammit 1, A. Radovic 3, A. Bianchi 1, K. Galea ,Z. Kovacic 1, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit 2, J. Sammut

Referees: P. Balzan, F. Ricciotti

 

Premier League Standings

 

Neptunes Grimaldi       7     5     2     0     99     69  17

San Giljan Allcare        7     5     0     2     87     60  15

Sliema Frank Salt         7     3     3     1     78     74  12

Sirens Ritter Sport        7     2     1     4     73    83     7

Valletta McDonalds     7     1     1     5     67    88     4

Exiles Ferretti               7     0     3     4     57    89     3