SLIEMA FRANK SALT............... 14

MARSAXLOKK BROWN'S........ 10

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

Sliema Frank Salt powered past Marsaxlokk Brown's Pharma in a match where the win was never in doubt. Their foreign duo Gavril Subotic and Norbert Hoznyansky were again in form and led the team to another three points that put them on equal points with Neptunes.

Marsaxlokk could have had a better chance to maybe take a point but several errors in their passing gifted Sliema the opportunity to open a comfortable lead that Joe Cremona's team never recovered from.

Andrija Vlahovic scored the first goal of the game for Marsaxlokk but Sliema responded with three consecutive goals from Jamie Gambin, Jacob Sciberras and Norbert Hoznyansky. Vlahovic reduced the gap but Subotic made it 4-2 from a penalty few seconds later, until Ivan Nagaev scored for Marsaxlokk few seconds before the end of the session.

Marsaxlokk were only a goal down midway through the second session but Subotic and Benji Cachia from man-up made it 8-5 while Vlahovic scored his third personal goal in the last minute of the session.

At 8-6, the three points were still in contention but Sliema dominated the third session as they scored five consecutive goals to build a great 13-6 advantage that sealed the win for Sergio Afric's side. Joseph Galea and Matthew Pace scored in the last minute of the second session.

In the last period, Marsaxlokk had the task to at least control better their opponents while also trying to limit the damage. They managed to win the session from a penalty by Nagaev and a well-planned man-up by Matteo Cacici.

Sliema: J. Parnis, J. Gabarretta, G. Subotic (4), J. Sciberras (1), M. Meli (1), N. Hoznyansky (3), M. Spiteri Staines (1), L. Galea, B. Cachia (1), J. Gambin (3), Z. Mizzi, K. Borg, M. Vassallo, J. Cachia, J. Cutajar

Marsaxlokk: R. Coleiro, J. Rizzo Naudi, L. Saliba, M. Rizzo, T. Agius, J. Galea (1), A. Vlahovic (4), I. Nagaev (3), S. Micallef, R. Scerri, M. Pace, M. Martellacci, F. Buhagiar, M. Cacici (1), K. Galea (1)

Referees: Stefan Licari, Daniele Bianco

 

SIRENS GREENTUBE............... 14

EXILES ELIA CATERERS............ 7

(3-0), (3-2), (5-1), (3-4)

For the second consecutive game in this season, Sirens Greentube found no particular difficulty in defeating Exiles Elia Caterers this time 14-7. Sirens dominated the play and confirmed why they are at the moment on top of the table. Exiles on the other hand failed again to challenge their opponents. They look predictable in their play but at no point they stood in with a chance to win the game.

Sirens won the first session with three consecutive from their Italian players Christian Presciutti and Valentino Gallo while centre John Brownrigg scored between them. The game was almost one-sided and it was no surprise that at one point, Sirens had a 6-1 lead as Presciutti and Gallo continued running the show. Exiles scored their first goal after a session and a half and reduced the gap from a penalty by Milos Vukicevic after a foul by Isaiah Riolo.

Gallo scored his fourth personal goal from a man-up situation early in the third session for a 7-2 lead. Kurt Griscti responded to Presciutti but Edward Aquilina and again Presciutti and Gallo gave their team a commanding 11-3 advantage.

As Sirens lowered their level, Exiles managed to reduce the margin and in one session scored more than all the previous sessions. Vukicevic, Marko Jelaca from penalties and a brace by Timmy Sullivan scored for Exiles.

Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, C. Presciutti (4), P. Privitera, M. Grech, J. Brownrigg (3), I. Riolo, V. Gallo (5), J. Napier, E. Aquilina (1), L. Caruana, M. Sciberras (1), G. Galea Curmi, Z. Bartolo, L. Falzon

Exiles: M. Castillo, M. Stellini, A. Magri, M. Jelaca (1), T. Sullivan (3), S. Xerri de Caro, M. Fenech, K. Griscti (1), M. Vukicevic (2), A. Cousin, N. Paris, P. Paris, M. Martin, S. Apap, C. von Brockdorf

Referees: Massimo Angileri, Fabio Brasiliano

 

BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT............. 12

MARSASKALA FISH AND FISH..... 10

(7-2), (1-4), (2-3), (2-1)

A splendid first session paved the way for Birżebbuġa Freeport to climb on top of the First Division. Marsaskala stayed focused and entered back in the game while also tried till the end to avoud the defeat.

Christian Mifsud was the hero for Pierre Borg's team in the first session scoring the first three goals in the first four minutes while made the score 7-2 at the end of the session. Antonio Petkovic scored twice while Mattias Ortoleva scored the other goals for Birżebbuġa.

Ortoleva responded to the goal by Jake Ciantar and at the middle of the second session, Birżebbuġa had a comfortable 8-3 lead. But Marsaskala fought their way back in the game as Kristijan Milakovic scored from a man-up situation and a penalty while Konstantin Averka cut the deficit to only two goals. All in a bit more than a minute.

After Milakovic made it 8-7 in the beginning of the third session, veteran David Pace Lupi and Antonio Petkovic gave Birżebbuġa some breathing space but Milakovic and Attard from man-up opened up the game again.

Dorian Pisani's team pressed in search for the equalising goal but failed to convert a man-up and from the next action Ortoleva scored his third personal goal for a 11-9 scoreline. Averka reduced the margin but Antun Goreta assured his team of the win.

Birżebbuġa: D. Spiteri, N. Cassar, D. Pace Lupi (1), C. Mifsud (4), A. Petkovic (3), S. Vassallo, D. Cutajar, J. Bajada, A. Goreta (1), M. Ortoleva (3), J. Cremona

Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar, A. Camenzuli, M. Manara, M. Aquilina, L. Grixti, K. Navarro, K. Milakovic (5), K. Averka (2), J. Culic, R. Attard (1), D. Borg Millo, M. Borg, L. Felice (1), J. Ciantar (1)

Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Fabio Brasiliano