SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS......... 16

SLIEMA FRANK SALT................. 9

(3-2), (1-1), (9-3), (3-3)

 

A show of force in the third session was enough for San Ġiljan to win another game. In what was supposed to be a direct clash between two of the top three teams, it turned out to be an easy win for San Ġiljan. They showed that they are the team to beat and diminished any progress Sliema made during recent games. This was the second defeat for Sliema in the league after losing to Neptunes last week.

Jayden Cutajar got Sliema off to a flying start with two goals from an identical position. San Ġiljan recovered and scored three consecutive goals in the last two and a half minutes from Ben Plumpton and a brace by Maro Jokovic.

The Croatian even scored his third personal goal of the game from penalty midway through the second session while Dmitrii Kholod responded for Sliema.

San Ġiljan started the third session with two goals in the first minute of the session to take a three-goal lead for the first time in the game. Sliema reacted and scored on their next two occasions in which they had a man-up to reduce the gap to 7-5.

But as soon as Sliema seemed to have recovered, San Ġiljan had other plans. They caught off-guard their opponents and fired a goal after another to kill the game. A hat-trick by Matthew Zammit and goals by Maro Jokovic, Aaron Younger and Ben Plumpton put San Ġiljan with a huge advantage of 13-6. Andrija Prlainovic’s game had to stop in the third session after he was excluded for the third time.

Sliema had a great opportunity to reduce the arrears in the last session as Darren Zammit was sent off for brutality to leave his team with a man down for four minutes. But despite their numerical advantage, Sliema could only score three times while Ben Plumpton scored twice for San Ġiljan. Plumpton scored another goal to seal the huge win for his team.

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli, A. Galea, B. Plumpton (5), M. Jokovic (5), M. Zammit (3), J. Bonavia (1), A. Younger (2), J. Abela, N. Zammit, D. Zammit, R. Caruana, G. Bonavia, K. Calleja

Sliema: N. Grixti, J. Gabarretta, L. Galea, J. Gambin, Z. Mizzi, B. Cachia (1), J. Cutajar (2), M. Mifsud, J. Brownrigg, D. Kholod (4), A. Prlainovic, D. Zammit (1), A. Bugeja, E. Schembri (1)

Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Alessio Nicolai

 

NEPTUNES VIDEOSLOTS.......... 17

MARSASKALA ESC................... 10

(3-2), (3-2), (6-3), (5-3)

 

Neptunes Videoslots continued their quest to challenge for the title as they brushed aside Marsaskala ESC. Neptunes were never in danger of losing the game but had a tough challenge from their opponents in the first part of the game.

Ironically, Marsaskala had the advantage twice in the first session but after Jake Muscat gave put Neptunes 3-2 ahead, Neptunes never lost the advantage. They stretched their lead to 6-3 in the second session after goals by Alec Fenech, Aleksandar Ivovic and Filip Filipovic. Raoul Greco reduced the gap before the end of the second session. Marsaskala suffered a blow in the last moments of the session as their regular goalkeeper Jurgen Micallef had to be substituted due to an injury he sustained.

Dorian Pisani’s team put the game into bed in the third session. Filip Filipovic scored twice in the five consecutive goal series by Neptunes for an 11-4 scoreline. Pisani also started his usual rotation when having a similar advantage. Marsaskala reacted and at least reduced the margin to 12-7.

During the last period, both Aleksandar Ivovic and Filip Filipovic were rested for a while. Neptunes stayed as the superior team in the pitch and stretched their lead to 16-7. The only consolation for Marsaskala was that they scored three times in the last two minutes.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, J. Muscat (2), S. Gialanze, G. Pace, M. Castillo (1), J. Bajada (1), S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri (1), A. Ivovic (2), F. Filipovic (5), A. Fenech (1), E. Mallia, M. Rossi, D. Bugeja, B. Lewis

Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar, G. Galea, P. Privitera (1), R. Greco (1), F. Salamon (1), K. Navarro, D. Tully, D. Pace Lupi (3), G. Sammut (1), J. Ciantar, M. Carani (1), A. Muscat, T. Sedlmayerm (2), J. Pace Mizzi

Referees: Richard Magri, Danilo Mazzoccoli

 

OTTERS NIVEA............. 12

EXILES WELBEE’S......... 13

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

 

Guillermo Molina saved Exiles Welbee’s from a worrying defeat as he scored a hat-trick in the last moments of the game to give his team a precious win. Otters Nivea must feel disappointed not to at least finish the game with a point. Exiles lacked their regular goalkeeper Matthew Castillo a notable absence for the team.

A bright start for Exiles permitted them to take a three-goal lead and later a 5-1 advantage until goals by veterans Andrea Bianchi and Mark Melia cut the deficit by half. Exiles regained their four-goal lead in the second session and many thought that Exiles were on their way to victory easily. Otters had other plans as they recovered the margin by the end of the second session through goals by Matthew Farrugia, Andrew Dimech, Marko Jelaca and Jovan Saric.

Otters went in front for the first time in the match during the third session. They continued scoring in succession and took a 10-7 with goals coming from both foreigners and Mark Meli. Exiles reacted with a goal by Valentino Gallo.

Robert Munkacsy’s team kept controlling the game and kept their opponents two goals adrift. That was only until Guillermo Molina decided to show his quality. The veteran stole the show as he reduced the gap, equalised, and then scored a very late winner to grasp the three points for his team.

Otters: M. Xerri, M. Bonnici, K. Scicluna, M. Meli (2), M. Jelaca (3), I. Azzopardi, L. Dimech, J. Saric (4), M. Farrugia (1), A. Dimech (1), M. Grech, K. Micallef, A. Bianchi (1)

Exiles: F. Buhagiar, Z. Cutajar Licari, Z. Micallef, V. Gallo (4), G. Molina (3), S. Xerri de Caro (2), M. Fenech, K. Griscti (2), N. Paris, M. Martellacci (1), M. Aquilina (1), N. Saliba, M. Paris Roding, L. Pursehouse

Referees: Stefan Licari, Alessio Nicolai

 

Premier Division

                                L              R             D             T              F              K             Pti

San Ġiljan            4              4              0              0              71           42           12

Neptunes            4              4              0              0              58           35           12

Sliema                   4              2              0              2              53           47           6

Sirens                    3              1              0              2              30           39           3

Valletta                 3              0              0              3              30           47           0

Marsaskala         4              0              0              4              34           66           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

Exiles                     4              2              0              2              50           49           6

Otters                   4              1              1              2              51           53           4

Ta’ Xbiex              3              0              1              2              31           40           1

Barracudas          3              0              0              3              34           71           0