Exiles Jetfreight     8     Neptunes Grimaldi     16

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

Neptunes put the disappointment of the President's Cup loss behind them, as they opened up their league campaign with a heavy victory over Exiles. The latter side opened well, as they twice took a double goal advantage, but Neptunes' overall superiority shone through, as they proceeded to sweep their adversaries aside, and tot up a solid advantage. When Exiles then managed to hit back, they had fallen way behind, and their man up advantages didn't help them at all, with two goals in seven occasions. At the other end Neptunes fared very well with an extra player in the water, netting six times from eight occasions.

Exiles, now under Dorian Pisani, had a bright start, with Kurt Grixti and Milos Vukicevic goals. Miguel Zammit hit back for Neptunes, but Vukicevic, Exiles' new Serbian foreigner, restored his side's two goal advantage. A Jordan Camilleri and avSteve Camilleri penalty had Neptunes tying the score. In the second session Zammit put Neptunes ahead, but Grixti put Exiles on level terms. Neptunes then took over and three strikes without any reply by Steve Camilleri, the first from another penalty, and Cosmin Radu, with the Rumanian opening his account for his new side, had Neptunes 6-3 ahead at the interval.

After the break Neptunes obtained four more goals, with Exiles still unable to make any impact. Jordan Camilleri, his brother, Steve, with two more and Radu again, took Neptunes to a winning 11-4 margin. In the last quarter Exiles finally managed to hit back, but their four strikes were answered back with five goals from Neptunes, with both sides alternating with their goals. Exiles had Sean Gravina, Kayne Lanzon, Vukicevic and Nicky Paris as their scorers, with Steve Camilleri and Radu scoring a brace each, and young Matias Azzopardi also racing away to notch another goal for Neptunes.

Steve Camilleri finished with a double hat trick, and Radu scored a poker of goals for Neptunes, and Vukicevic managed three strikes for Exiles.

Exiles: I. Bugeja , J. Rizzo Naudi , S. Vassallo , D. Pace Lupi , D. Borg Millo , E. Gravina , S. Gravina1 , K. Grixti 2, N. Paris 1, A. Bianchi ,  G. Ciappara , M. Vukicevic 3, K. Lanzon

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon , C. Radu 4, M. Tabone , T. Agius ,M. Lanzon , S. Camilleri 7, J. Camilleri 2, J. Abela , M. Zammit 2, B. Lanzon , M. Azzopardi 1, M. Castillo

Referees:M. Angileri, B. D'Alessio

 

Sirens Ritter Sport     4     San Giljan     11

 (1-2. 0-2, 1-4, 2-3)

San Giljan continued on their good start this week, after their success in the President's Cup, as they overcame the Sirens obstacle with a good victory, which has made them the team to beat this season. Sirens promised much at the start of the match, as they kept up the pace with their opponents, but as the game progressed in the middle sessions, the Saints were in control, as they found their opponents' net at regular intervals, with Sirens unable to furnish any adequate reply.

When they finally did, the champions had opened up a heavy advantage, which stood them till the remainder of the encounter despite Sirens brief comeback. The saints could increase their advantage once again. The St Paul's Bay side are now under the guidance of the Italian experienced coach, Marco Baldinetti, and for this match San Giljan had their mentor, Marko Orlovic, suspended from last season, with his Serbian compatriot, Igor Vukanovic, taking his place. Sirens failed in their man ups, failing to score in all four of them. On the other hand San Giljan couldn't do any better, converting all their five man ups.

Clint Mercieca shot the Saints ahead at the start, with Spaniard Sergi Mora scoring a penalty, putting Sirens level. Mora was plying his trade with Marsascala last season. Aurelien Cousin had San Giljan back in front till the end of the period. Two goals from Boris Vapenski, the first from a penalty, had the champions on a better 4-1 advantage till the interval.

After the break San Giljan could not be denied, and their goal tally kept on increasing, with goals by Cousin, Vapenski and a brace from Dino Zammit. Marco grech finally obtained a Sirens goal, just before the end of the session, as the Saints were 8-2 in front, before the start of the last session. Sirens managed two more strikes, by Gabriel Pace and John Napier, to show signs of a revival, but the champions  had other ideas, and they finished off the match with three more goals, as Paul Fava and two more from Dino Zammit completed the scoring, and a better result for the Saints.

Dino Zammit had a poker of goals, with Boris Vapenski netting three more for San Giljan. The Sirens' strikes came from four different players.

Sirens: N. Grixti , Z. Mizzi , S. Mora 1, G. Pace , M. Grech 1, I. Riolo , M. Baluci , D. Cutajar , J. Napier 1,  J. Sciberras , L. Caruana , N. Farrugia , J. Cremona

San Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg , A. Galea , B. Vapenski 4, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca 1, B. Plumpton, A. Cousin 2,  P. Fava 1, D. Zammit 4, D. Camilleri

Referees: P. Balzan, M. Sponza

 

BOV 1 Div. League

Marsaxlokk in high-scoring win

Marsaxlokk Fischer     18     Otters Nivea     7

(6-1, 5-2, 4-2 3-2)

Marsaxlokk's defeat in the Sports Journalists Cup already seems to be a thing of theh past, as they overpowered their Gozitan opponents in their opening league game. Otters were no match for their adversaries, as Marsaxlokk established a winning margin till the interval, and proceeded to increase their advantage still further, and finish the match on a high score. Marsaxlokk did not need any man ups to obtain their victory, and they were only a man more in the final seconds of the encounter. Otters had six occasions with an extra player, scoring in two of them. Both sides opted to introduce their second custodians, with Nello Xuereb coming on after the interval, in lieu of David Abela, for Marsaxlokk, and Matthew Xuereb taking his place for Otters, vice Reuben Bonnici, in the last session.

Marsaxlokk went four goals ahead, through Ivan basara, Ranier Scerri and a brace by Claudio Spiteri de Barro. Marko jelaka replied for Otters, but M'xlokk added two more goals, by Sean Meli and Gianluca Busuttil. In the second session more goals followed, with a brace each from Basara, both from penalties,  and Spiteri de Barro and Karl galea. Otters answered with a Jelaka penalty and Luke Hyzler, for a solid 11-2 advantage to M'xlokk.

After the break a Basara hat trick, one of them from another penalty,  and one more by Galea, had M'xlokk foing further ahead, despite two more goals by Michael Borg Millo and Jelaka for Otters, as M'xlokk went 15-5 in front. In teh last period M'xlokk had Busuttil Galea and Kyle Navarro with their last goals, and Hyzler and Jelaka scoring the Gozitans' last two strikes.

Basara finished with six goals, and Spiteri de Barro netted four goals, for M'xlokk. Jelaka managed four goals for Otters.

M'xlokk: D. Abela , C. Spiteri de Barro 4, L. Calleja , K. Galea 3, C. Gialanze , C. Bugeja , S. Meli 1, GL Busuttil 2, B. Buhagiar , R. Scerri 1, I. Basara 6, K. Navarro , N. Xuereb

Otters:  R. Bonnici , M. Borg Millo1, R. Greco , L. Hyzler 2, K. Scicluna ,D. Dimech , G. Mizzi , M. Jelaka 4, S. Dimech , G. Debono , M. Borg , R. Gauci , M. Xerri

Referees: S. Licari, M. Sponza