VALLETTA UNITED.................8

NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS..........17

(1-2), (2-4), (0-5), (5-6)

After suffering two defeats in the space of few days against San Ġiljan, Neptunes claimed their first win of the season defeating Valletta United 17-8. Neptunes had a positive game and after a slow start, they gained their momentum in the second session, and from then onwards they found no resistance in their game.

Valletta suffered another heavy defeat as they again failed to produce a positive performance through the whole four sessions. Like the defeat against Sirens, Valletta had problems in some parts of defence and after their opponents started to open up a gap, Valletta seemed to have no reaction, therefore permitting Neptunes to take absolute control of the game.

This game meant also that the two foreigners Boris Vapenski and Romain Blary opened their accounts. One has to also point the fact that both players can be used better in the pitch.

Neptunes won the first session 2-1, as after Cordina equalised the goal of Blary, Jordan Camilleri scored his first goal of the game. But after James Spiteri Staines scored in the second minute of the second session, Neptunes scored four goals in quick succession, and after Vapenski reduced the margin, the headed into the break 6-3 in front.

Neptunes made sure of the win after the break, scoring goal after goal as they practically dominated the game. With an eight goal margin, the game reduced its rhythm, as both teams started to play open. Neptunes coach Zoran Maslovar gave more space to his fringe players, while Boris Vapenski was more advanced and managed to score four goals to make the score a bit more respectable.

Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines (1), A. Agius, M. Rizzo, M. Fenech, R. Mock, D. Paolella (1), N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina (1), B. Vapenski (5), K. Galea, A. Mifsud, A. Mifsud, F. Buhagiar

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon (1), T. Agius, K. Erdogan, R. Blary (3), S. Gravina (1), S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri (5), J. Abela (3), M. Zammit, N. Zammit, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja

Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Thomas Pagani

 

TA’ XBIEX AMIGOS...............5

BIRŻEBBUGIA ASC...............10

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

Birżebbugia clinched their first win of the league defeating Ta’ Xbiex Amigos 10-5. Their performance could have been better after their positive display in their first match against Marsascala, but failed to produce a great performance from start to finish.

Ta’ Xbiex had only nine players in their list, and coach Keith Grima Scott tried to juggle his team during the game. Maybe it was the main reason why Ta’ Xbiex weren’t that dangerous, despite holding their opponents for parts of the game.

Birżebbugia had to recover from a goal down after they lost the first session 1-0, and they did after goals by Andrew Sammut and Sergio Mora. Rheinhard Attard equalised but Mora scored again to put his team in front before the break.

Ta’ Xbiex managed to hold on in the third session responding twice to the two goals by Sergi Mora, but in the last session, they couldn’t keep up with their opponents and after Mock kept his team’s hopes alive, responding to the goals by Vassallo and Pace Lupi, Birżebbugia secured the win with another three goals to round the win.

Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, M. Pullicino, C. Farrugia, B. Sziranyi, K. Mock (1), E. Gravina (2), M. Pace, G. Debono, R. Attard (2)

Birżebbugia: D. Abela, M. Manara (1), S. Mora (5), D. Pace Lupi (1), A. Camenzuli, A. Sammut (1), S. Vassallo (1), N. Cassar, G. Farrugia, M. Caruana, K. Rizzo Naudi (1), O. Zammit, D. Spiteri

Referees: Alex De Raffaele, Thomas Pagani