NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS………17
VALLETTA UNITED.................6
(6-0), (5-1), (3-2), (3-3)
Neptunes Leo Vegas secured second place as they had no difficulty beating a depleted Valletta side 17-6. A win which was practically secured in the first period and secured in the second session, with Neptunes already with a ten-goal lead.
Valletta had Michael Rizzo, David Fenech and most notably Boris Vapenski all missing. The absence of the Serbian cut Valletta's power as they were without their main scorer and their only foreigner against a much quoted side with practically two foreigners, as in this game, Stevie Camilleri equalled Aleksandar Ivovic in the top scorers list.
Neptunes has a brilliant session in which they set the standard, scoring six goals without conceding. Brothers Stevie and Jordan Camilleri scored a brace each combined with a goal each by Romain Blary and Jeremy Abela.
(Photos: Domenic Aquilina)
Zoran Maslovar's team cemented the win if there was any doubt with another five goals while Valletta managed to score their first goal from Keith Galea. Stevie Camilleri continued to add up to his personal account scoring another hat-trick in the process.
As things stood, Maslovar continued the rotating process, making use of all his units in the team including reserve goalkeeper Ian Bugeja. Despite winning the session, the rhythm of the team dropped and permitted Valletta to start to make the score more respectable. The last session was a formality, and therefore the game kept the same wavelength of the third session. The session ended in a draw with Neptunes winning finally 17-6.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, T. Agius (1), K. Erdogan (1), R. Blary (1), S. Gravina, S. Camilleri (7), J. Camilleri (2), J. Abela (3), M. Zammit (2), M. Tabone, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines, A. Agius (1), M. Fenech (1), R. Mock (1), D. Paolella, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina (1), K. Galea (1), A. Mifsud (1), F. Buhagiar
Referees: Stefan Licari, Alessio Acierno
Third win for Exiles
SIRENS GREENTUBE..............6
EXILES JETFREIGHT................7
(3-0), (1-4), (0-2), (2-1)
Exiles Jetfreight made a huge step towards avoiding finishing last, as they defeated Sirens Greentube 7-6 for the first time in this league. This win gave Exiles a six-point lead over Valletta with two games to spare, and confirmed the progress made by Dorian Pisani's team.
On the other hand, this loss underlined the inconsistency of Sirens as they win against Neptunes and Sliema but lose points against the two teams behind them. The defeat also keeps Sirens four points adrift of Sliema in the battle for the third place.
A bright start for Sirens as they won the session 3-0 with goals coming from Christian Presciutti, David Cutajar and Isaiah Riolo. Sirens showed that they were the better team while Exiles were failing to express themselves.
This scenario changed in the second session, as Exiles improved and started creating serious danger to their opponents. They scored from Nicky Paris but soon after Brownrigg made the score 4-1. Dorian Pisani's team managed to come back from a three-goal deficit through Nicky Paris and a brace by Slobodan Nikic to finish the session 4-4.
Exiles' comeback was completed as they kept composure in defence and scored twice from Julian Rizzo Naudi and well converted man-up by Sean Xerri de Caro. Despite failing to score, Sirens were creating danger but they weren't accurate in their shooting.
Sirens started the last session determined to save the game. They were more aggressive in their play and were rewarded for their efforts with two goals from veterans David Cutajar and Clint Mercieca. The rhythm of the game seemed to be shifting and Sirens had also the chance to take the lead when Isaiah Riolo came face to face with Matthew Castillo, but his shot was saved. Exiles' winning goal came in the dying moments of the game with a fierce shot from Michele Stellini.
Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, C. Presciutti (1), J. Sciberras, M. Grech, I. Riolo (1), C. Mercieca (1), D. Cutajar (2), J. Napier, J. Brownrigg (1), H. Schulz, J. Ciantar, O. Gauci
Exiles: M. Castillo, J. Rizzo Naudi (1), D. Borg Millo, M. Stellini (1), T. Sullivan, S. Xerri de Caro (1), S. Nikic (2), K. Griscti, N. Paris (2), A. Bianchi, B. Lanzon, J. Bajada, S. Galea Pace
Referees: Peter Balzan, Alessio Magnesia
Marsaxlokk mathematically First Division champions
MARSAXLOKK FISCHER........9
BIRŻEBBUĠA........................8
(3-3), (1-1), (3-4), (2-0)
Marsaxlokk Fischer secured the first division title for the second consecutive year after a hard-fought win against Birżebbuġa. The performance of the Roman Polacek's team wasn't brilliant, but they did enough to win the game. Birżebbuġa were resilient during the game and reacted several times, but failed to convert their occasions when it mattered the most. This loss kept Birżebbuġa in fourth place three points behind Otters.
Birżebbuġa had a positive start as they kept up the pace with their opponents and after opening the score, they responded twice to finish the first session 3-3. Marsaxlokk went again in front in the second session from Zeljko Kovacic, but Andrew Sammut equalised few seconds later.
Kayne Lanzon gave a double advantage to Marsaxlokk in the third session, but again Birżebbuġa were resilient and equalised again with goals from David Pace Lupi and Sergi Mora. Kovacic put Marsaxlokk again in front from a penalty, but Birżebbuġa not only equalised but went in front for the second time in the game. Karl Rizzo Naudi scored his third of the game while Mora scored from a penalty.
Marsaxlokk showed why they would be champions, as despite suffering they scored twice from Rainier Scerri and the goal that sealed the league from Zeljko Kovacic.
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, C. Spiteri Debarro (1), L. Calleja, M. Cacici, C. Gialanze (1), C. Bugeja, S. Meli, Z. Kovacic (3), B. Buhagiar, R. Scerri (1), K. Lanzon (3), L. Gialanze, R. Bonnici
Birżebbuġa: D. Abela, M. Manara, S. Mora (2), D. Pace Lupi (1), A. Camenzuli, A. Sammut (1), S. Vassallo, N. Cassar (1), G. Farrugia, M. Caruana, K. Rizzo Naudi (3), K. Gauci, D. Spiteri
Referee: Alex De Raffaele, Alessio Acierno