NEPTUNES VIDEOSLOTS.... 14
SIRENS............................... 8
(4-1), (3-3), (4-2), (3-2)
Stevie Camilleri was in lethal form as title contenders Neptunes Videoslots fended off the challenge by Sirens. Similar like the game against Sliema, Neptunes kept their composure during the match except for a few moments in the second session.
Neptunes gained the lead right from the start of the game after goals by Serbian Filip Filipovic and Montenegrinian Aleksandar Ivovic. Sirens pulled one back but Neptunes scored twice to take a three-goal lead heading into the second session.
Dorian Pisani’s team stayed three goals in front at the end of the second session but they had to survive a rough patch. Sirens made a bold reaction and diminished the 4-1 lead by Neptunes with three consecutive goals scored by Jerome Zerafa Gregory and a brace by veteran Pietro Figlioli. But Neptunes reacted in a quick manner with three goals.
Neptunes built on the advantage and stretched their lead to 9-4 in the third session. Sirens twice reduced the margin to four goals but Stevie Camilleri scored on both occasions from man-up to give Neptunes a comfortable 11-6 before the beginning of the last session.
Sirens kept fighting to stay in the hunt for an improbable comeback. Ken Erdogan u Jake Cachia scored for Sirens but Camilleri was again at the right time to respond again and keep Neptunes five goals adrift of their opponents. Sam Gialanze sealed the win in their last action of the game from penalty.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, J. Muscat (1), S. Gialanze (1), B. Lewis, M. Castillo (1), J. Bajada, S. Camilleri (6), J. Camilleri, A. Ivovic (4), F. Filipovic (1), A. Fenech, E. Mallia, M. Rossi, D. Bugeja
Sirens: T. Micallef, P. Serracino, K. Erdogan (1), P. Figlioli (2), J. Zerafa Gregory (1), G. Farrugia, M. Chircop, G. Melillo (1), M. Cutajar, M. Pasztor (2), M. Sciberras, M. Azzopardi, M. Bonello Dupuis, J. Cachia (1), G. Sammut
Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Domenic Rotondano
EXILES WELBEE’S.............. 10
BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT.... 15
(1-5), (4-4), (2-3), (3-3)
Birżebbuġa Freeport expressed their disappointment of not making it to the Premier Division by beating Exiles Welbee’s. Birżebbuġa always had the control of the game and never surrendered the lead they built early in the game. Goals by Giuseppe Mannino, Darko Brguljan and Jacob Sciberras gave them a 3-0 lead, a gap that stretched to 5-1 till the end of the first session.
Pierre Borg’s team continued to consolidate the advantage in the second session and midway through the session they were 8-3 in front. Valentino Gallo and Guillermo Molina pulled two goals back for Exiles but Jacob Sciberras gave Birżebbuġa a 9-5 lead.
A 12-6 gap three minutes from the end of the third session seemed to much for Exiles to recover but a late goal in the session by Gallo and two goals from Sean Xerri de Caro in the beginning of the last session, gave Exiles a lifeline. But their hopes were lasted shortly as Peter Borg and Balazs Erdelyi scored in less than a minute to kill the game.
Exiles: M. Castillo, Z. Cutajar Licari, Z. Micallef, V. Gallo (4), G. Molina (2), S. Xerri de Caro (2), M. Fenech (1), K. Griscti, N. Paris, M. Martellacci (1), M. Aquilina, N. Saliba, F. Buhagiar, A. Farrugia, L. Pursehouse
Birżebbuġa: M. Sladden, P. Borg (1), N. Cassar, B. Grech (1), D. Brguljan (2), M. Manara, S. Bezzina, D. Cutajar (1), B. Erdelyi (5), K. Tanti (1), G. Mannino (1), M. Curmi, C.D. Borg, J. Sciberras (3), D. Farrugia
Referees: Massimo Angileri, Domenico Rotondano
TA’ XBIEX AMIGOS............. 10
MARSAXLOKK BROWN’S.... 16
(2-5), (4-4), (4-4), (0-3)
Nikola Moskov’s goals proved to be again the main difference between Marsaxlokk Brown’s Pharma and their opponents. After demolishing Barracudas, a win that served only for their First Division campaign after they failed to qualify for Premier Division, Moskov shined again this time with eight goals to his name.
The Montenegrinian scored a hat-trick in the first session as Marsaxlokk built a 5-2 advantage. Ta’ Xbiex tried to stay in the game in the second session but only responded to a Marsaxlokk goal on four occasions.
Ta’ Xbiex recovered what seemed to be a lost game in the third session. Goals from Jacob Saliba and a brace by Uros Vasic reduced the gap to 11-9. Marsaxlokk responded and at least started the last session 13-10 in front.
A last ditch effort by Ta’ Xbiex in the last session was expected but they never threatened their opponents to snatch their win away. Marsaxlokk controlled the game and secured the three points. During the last session, Moskov and Vasic both finished their game after they were sent-off and excluded respectively.
Ta’ Xbiex: M. Vassallo, L. Montebello Brownrigg (1), L. Grech Carr, R. Mock, J. Saliba (2), K. Milakovic (1), U. Vasic (4), J. Culic, Z. Bartolo, J. Farrugia (1), G. Galea Curmi, M. Ortoleva (1), K. Agius
Marsaxlokk: Mi. Farrugia, C. Cutajar, B. Zammit, Ma. Farrugia, N. Moskov (8), J. Valletta (2), M. Zammit, M. Aquilina, N. Lanzon, S. Misic (5), E. Bonnici, L. Mallia (1), S. Mifsud, A. Cook, G. Gatt
Referees: Neville Mercieca, Stefano Scappini
Premier Division
L R D T F K Pti
San Ġiljan 3 3 0 0 55 33 9
Neptunes 3 3 0 0 41 25 9
Sliema 3 2 0 1 44 31 6
Sirens 3 1 0 2 30 39 3
Valletta 3 0 0 3 30 47 0
Marsaskala 3 0 0 3 24 49 0
First Division
L R D T F K Pti
Marsaxlokk 3 3 0 0 62 34 9
Birżebbuġa 3 3 0 0 47 28 6
Otters 3 1 1 1 39 40 4
Exiles 3 1 0 2 37 37 3
Ta’ Xbiex 3 0 1 2 31 40 1
Barracudas 3 0 0 3 34 71 0