Sirens Ritter Sport     8     Sliema Betsson     8

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

Sirens prove once more than they can mix it with the top echelon. They managed a late equalizer, but they had matched Sliema throughout the whole encounter. In fact they were slightly better on their man ups, netting half of their six occasions, with Sliema converting two out of five. Sirens had Joe Cremona in lieu of Matteo Muscat, on the bench. Mark Meli was missing once more for the Blues, with Timmy Sullivan also failing to make an appearance, with Jamie Gambin taking his place. It was tight between these two sides, as it usually is, for these last few seasons. Sliema led by two goals in teh second session, but for most of teh time it was an even score, or a mere goal advantage for either side. After teh match Sliema were in front, in the league table, but two points lost had them slipping into second place after the second match, and they could go down a further notch, if Neptunes overcome the Citizens today.

alex Attard scored the only goal of teh opening session, for Sliema, against his ex-club. Sirens overturned the score in the next period, with a brace of Sergi Mora strikes, but the blues stormed back in front, with a three goal spurt, from marco Cuk, edward Aquilina and Kai Dowling. Till the end of teh session Sirens were again on equal terma, after two Zak Mizzi goals from four metres, for a 4-4 score.

After the break Gabriel Pace gave Sirena another advantage, but Aquilina and Cuk pushed the blues ahead once more, for a 6-5 score, going into the last quarter. It was Marc Grech to take Sirens on a level score. Aquilina gave Sliema another lead, but another Grech strike, from an angle, had Sirens on a par again. Skipper, John Soler, shot the Blues ahead, late in the match, as he nears his 1000th career goal, now being just five short. Sirens lost their last man uip, but kept possession, and a Mora beauty, from seven metres, had the match being shared by the two sides. Sliema lost their last possession, and the score remained in a tie.

Sirens: N. Grixti , Z. Mizzi 2, S. Mora 3, G. Pace 1, M. Grech 2, I. Riolo ,M. Balucci , D. Cutajar , J. Napier ,  J. Sciberras , L. Caruana ,  N. Farrugia , J. Cremona

Sliema: R. Coleiro , J. Gabarretta , E. Aquilina 3, C. Cluett , K. Dowling 1, J. Soler 1, M. Fenech , J. Gambin , J. Brownrigg , A. Attard 1, M. Cuk 2, N. Bugelli , Z. Sciberras

Referees: M. Angileri, M. Minelli

 

San Giljan Salini Resort     19     Exiles Jetfreight     10

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

The champions took the opportunity offered to them, after Sliema's drawn encounter, to claim a momentary top league placing, with a high score victory over the bottom side. The Saints didn't have it all their way till the interval, when Exiles managed to get close again after falling some goals behind, but after the interval the champions opened up briskly, and the goals were much easier to obtain as they strode forward to a heavy win. They made just the one change, with Joseph Galea instead of Darren Zammit, while Exiles were without Sean Gravina, his place taken by Luca Felice. San Giljan haven't managed to get it right this season in the man-up situations, as they only scored once in five occasions. Exiles were a man up three times, netting just once. Dino Zammit was Exiles' tormentor in this encounter, as he helped the Saints with his double hat trick, two of the goals coming from penalties.

Simon Vassallo shot Exiles in front, with Aurelien Cousin and Clint Mercieca overturning the score. Julian Rizzo Naudi and Kurt Grixti twice had exiles on level terms, with Mercieca scoring for the Saints in between. It was then Boris Vapenski and Peter Borg to give the champions a double lead. In teh second period Milos Vukicevic had exiles on a par, but San Giljan took a grip on the match, netting through Vapenski, Dino Zammit and Borg, They opted to put Dean Camilleri in goal vice Joseph Sammut, with Exiles getting back in the match with Vukicevic and David Pace Lupi strikes, halving their deficit, to a 6-8 score at halftime.

After the break the Saints struck three times in quick succession, through Mercieca Zammit and Cousin. Andrea Bianchi pulled a goal back for Exiles, but Dino Zammit added two more personal goals. Rizzo Naudi managed another goal for Exiles, who had fallen 8-13 behind. In teh alst quarter it was Rizzo Naudi once more for Exiles, but the champions then let loose, with a nap hand of goals, by Cousin, Andreas Galea, Vapenski a Zammit penalty and Joseph Galea. Exiles netted their last goal, from Daniel Borg Millo, with a second Zammit penalty for the champions closing down the match.

S. Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg 2, A. Galea 1, B. Vapenski 3, J. Galea 1, M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca 3, B. Plumpton , A. Cousin 3,  P. Fava , D. Zammit 6, D. Camilleri

Exiles: I. Bugeja , J. Rizzo Naudi 2, S. Vassallo1 , D. Pace Lupi 1, D. Borg Millo 1, E. Gravina , L. Felice , K. Grixti1 , N. Paris , A. Bianchi 1, G. Ciappara ,  M. Vukicevic 2, K. Lanzon

Referees: A. DeRaffaele, A. Roberti

 

BOV 1 Div. League

M'xlokk open a six point gap

M'xlokk Fischer     12     M'scala Nutrition Empire     8

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

M'xlokk repeated  their opening round score, against their rivals, to put more daylight between the two sides, as they now boast of a six point advantage, at the top of the league standings. M'scala trailed throughout the whole match, although they managed a good rally before the interval, but later on they again fell further behind, and the die was cast for them. Ivan Vuksanovic put six past the M'scala defence, with all the losers' goals coming from eight different players. M'xlokk had sean meli again in the side, vice Kyle Debattista. M'xlokk netted half of their six man ups, but M'scala who were a man ahead on only tow occasions, failed in both of them.

M'xlokk went two goals in front, in the opening session, with Claudio Spiteri De Barro and Vuksanovic goals. In the next period Vuksanovic scored twice more, the second from a penalty, but M'scala staged a rally, cutting down on their deficit, with Joe Cremona, Stephen Micallef and Matthew Pace strikes. Vuksanovic took M'xlokk to a 6-4 interval advantage.

After the break Sean meli and Brian Buhagiar took M'xlokk further in front. Gabor Kovacs converted a M'scala penalty, with Vuksanovic again giving M'xlokk a valid 8-4 lead. In the last session goals were much easier to obtain. it was M'scala scoring four times, through Clyde Bonello, Jamie Busuttil, Duncan Cassar and Jean Claude Cutajar, but every time there was a M'xlokk answer, with two Spiteri De Barro goals, and Vuksanovic in between, and Meli netting the last goal of the match.

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

M'scala: K. Schembri , JC Cutajar 1, J. Busuttil 1, C. Bonello 1, J. Bajada , L. Grixti1, G. Kovacs 1,  J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 1, M. Pace 1, D. Cassar 1, O. Zammit , B. Dougall

Referees: P. Balzan, A. Roberti

 

BOV Premier League Standings

                    San Giljan Salini Resort     5      3     1     1     69     52   10

                    Sliema Betsson                   5      2     2     0     46     37     9

                    Neptunes Grimaldi              4     2     2     0     48     30     8

                    Valletta McDonalds            4     2     0     2     36     44     6                                                                              

                    Sirens Ritter Sport               5     1     2     2     46     48     5    

                    Exiles Jetfreight                   5     0     0     5     39     71     0

 

 

BOV  1 Div.

BOV 1 Div. League Standings

                    M'xlokk Fischer                   5     5     0     0     69     38     15

                    M'scala Nutrition Empire     5     3     0     2     49     45       9

                    Ta Xbiex Amigos                 4     1     0     3     32     41       3

                    Otters Nivea                          4     0     0     4     31     57      0