Sliema Betsson 13 Exiles Jetfreight 11
(4-2, 5-6, 2-3, 2-0)
Sliema had to pull out all the stops to claim victory against bottom club, Exiles. The latter side would feel as if they had done enough to, at least, earn a point from this match. Sliema's double advantage in the opening session was whittled down, and Exiles managed to draw level at the end of the third session. Sliema had to fall on man ups, as they had done throughout the match, to open a winning lead, in the last quarter, and keep Exiles at bay for the remainder of the encounter. Sliema recovered Alex Attard and Timmy Sullivan, and mark meli went in the water, after staying on the bench, in their last match. They were missing Nicky Bugelli. Exiles had Luca Felice instead of Ganni Ciappara. Sliema made good use of their man ups, converting fully nine out of eleven. Exiles managed two goals from five occasions.
Sliema took a double lead in the opening period, with a brace from Jerome Gabarretta, and John Soler and Christian Cluett. Kurt Grixti and Sean Gravina scored for Exiles. In the second session golas were in abundance. Exiles were level on three occasions, but finally were a goal behind at the interval. Sliema's scorers were Edward Aquilina, Soler, Alex Attard, Sullivan and Gabarretta, whilst exiles had Gravina, two from Andrea Bianchi, and the other three by Milos Vukicevic, one from a penalty, as Sliema led 9-8.
After teh break Gravina had exiles again on a par. Sliema scored twice in succession, through Marco Cuk and Soler, but Exiles were back on level terms, with Bianchi and Vukicevic strikes, on an 11-11 score. The last session had Sliema again going two goals ahead, from Gabarretta nad Cuk. Exiles' Bianchi was shown the red card, as his side finally had to bow down to their opponents.
Sliema: R. Coleiro , J. Gabarretta 4, E. Aquilina 1, C. Cluett 1, M. Meli ,
J. Soler 3, K. Dowling , T, Su7llivan 1, J. Brownrigg , A. Attard 1, M. Cuk 2,
M. Fenech , Z. Sciberras
Exiles: I. Bugeja , J. Rizzo Naudi , S. Vassallo , D. Pace Lupi , D. Borg Millo ,
E. Gravina , S. Gravina 3, K. Grixti1 , N. Paris , A. Bianchi 3,
L. Felice , M. Vukicevic 4, K. Lanzon
Referees: R. Spiteri, C. Polimeni
Thrilling encoiunter ends in stalemate
Neptunes Grimaldi 11 San Giljan Salini Resort 11
(3-3, 3-3, 2-2, 3-3)
This top of the table clash produced no victors, with the two sides sharing the spoils, as deemed fit, after such an exciting match. Both sides stayed close nearly throughout the whole match, with the Saints taking a double advantage in the last period, only for Neptunes to claw themselves back, and tie the match, to keep their top position in the league table, just a point ahead of their near neighbours. Boris vapenski scored a double hat trick for San Giljan, including three penalties. Neptunes also were awarded three penalties, but Steve Camilleri saw his first one being brilliantly saved by Joseph Sammut, in the Saints' goal, then he converted the next two, with the last one being given, after the Saints' Paul Fava made an illegal entry. Neptunes only managed a single goal in eight man ups, with San Giljan netting three from seven.
The champions were twice in front, at the start, but then they tied the score at the end of the session. Vapenski and Dino Zammit, with two goals, for San Giljan, and Jeremy Abela nad twice from Cosmin radu for Neptunes, with a Camilleri missed penalty. IN teh next session Camilleri scor4ed his firat penalty, with radu and Abela again being the scorersd for Neptunes. The Saints had a vapenski penalty and two strikes from Fava, as the interval came along, with a drawn 6-6 score.
After the break came Camilelri's second penalty conversion. The champions overturned the score, with two more Vapenski goals, with another penalty, but Miguel Zammit had Neptunes level with an angled drive, for an 8-8 score. In the last session Radu had Neptunes ahead, with |San Giljan netting three times in succession, for the only time in the match. Two more Vapenski goals, with another penalty and a beauty by Matthew Zammit. Neptunes found themselves two goals down, but managed to draw level once more, as Niki Lanzon and Jordan Camilleri obtained their goals. The match finished on a par, which was the logical conclusion to this encounter.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon 1, C. Radu 4, M. Cutajar , T. Agius ,
M. Lanzon , S. Camilleri 2, J. Camilleri 1, J. Abela 2, M. Zammit 1,
B. Lanzon , M. Azzopardi , M. Castillo
S. Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg , A. Galea , B. Vapenski6 , Da. Zammit ,
M. Zammit 1, K. Galea , C. Mercieca , B. Plumpton , A. Cousin ,
P. Fava 2, D. Zammit2 , D. Camilleri
Referees: A. Goncharenko, B. Navarra
BOV 1 Div. League
M'xlokk are just a whisker away from league title
M'scala Nutrition Empire 12 M'xlokk Fischer 18
(3-5, 3-5, 3-5, 3-3)
M'xlokk's positive run continued, as they registered their eighth win in a rwo, beating M'scala for the third tiem, and opening a heavy twelve point advantage, at the top of the standings. They are just one point shy of being declared champions of the second tier of play. It was a high scoring match, with M'xlokk always in control. They opened their lead in every one of teh first three sessions, and had absolutley no worries about their victory. Man up wise they went well, with eight conversions from thirteen, with M'scala managing four from nine.
The first three sessions were a carbon copy in the scores, with M'xlokk enjoying a double advantage in each one, with teh same score, which had on a winning margin in the last quarter, which was shared, leaving M'scala at a distance, and unable to get back in the match. Ivan Vuksanovic grabbeda total of seven goals, with Claudio Spiteri de Barro scoring three for M'xlokk. Gabor Kovacs was M'scala's main striker, with four goals.
M'scala: K. Schembri , JC Cutajar , J. Busuttil , C. Bonello 1, J. Bajada , L. Grixti ,
G. Kovacs 4, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 2, M. Pace 1, D. Cassar 1,
O. Zammit , B. Dougall
M'xlokk: D. Abela , C. Spiteri de Barro 3, L. Calleja , K. Galea 2, C. Gialanze ,
C. Bugeja , S. Meli 4, I. Vuksanovic 7 , B. Buhagiar , R. Scerri 2,
K. Navarro , GL Busuttil , N. Xuereb
Referees: P. Balzan, B. Navarra
BOV Premier League Standings
Neptunes Grimaldi 8 5 3 0 97 63 18
San Giljan Salini Resort 8 5 2 1 93 68 17
Sliema Betsson 8 4 3 1 81 68 15
Valletta McDonalds 8 3 0 5 80 93 9
Sirens Ritter Sport 8 2 2 4 64 71 8
Exiles Jetfreight 8 0 0 8 67 119 0
BOV 1 Div.
BOV 1 Div. League Standings
M'xlokk Fischer 8 8 0 0 117 66 24
M'scala Nutrition Empire 8 4 0 4 81 85 12
Ta Xbiex Amigos 8 4 0 4 79 73 12
Otters Nivea 8 0 0 8 61 114 0
During the course of play, of three matches, vefore the neptunes v San Giljan encounter, there were the awards of the BOV Player of the Month, for June, presented by the BOV Chiuef Officer, Anthony Scicluna.
In the Premier Division there was Neptune Grimaldi's Steve Camilleri, and the Div. 1 player was Claudio Spiteri de Barro, for M'xlokk Fischer.
There were also the draws for the BOV K.O.
Premier Div. San Giljan Salini Resort v Sliema Betsson, with teh winnersa meeting Exiles Jetfreight, in the semi final
Sirens Ritter Sport v Valletta McDonalds, with the winners meeting Neptunes Grimaldi in the semi final.
Div 1; Otters Nivea v M'scala Nutrition Empire
M'xlokk Fischer v ta Xbiex Amigos