Neptunes Vodafone 15

Marsaxlokk Freeport 2

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

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 4, S. Camilleri 5, K. Galea 1, E. Cachia, L. Attard, S. Gravina 1, G. Sammut, Dav. Camilleri, M. Azzopardi 2, D. Camilleri, M. Stellini 1, M. Pisani 1.

M'Xlokk: R. Bonnici, S. Cachia 2, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia, N. Kerr, C. Bugeja, C. Jones, S. Cutajar, M. Fava, D. Cassar, M. Cutajar, G. Zammit.

Refs: Ivan Sciriha, Pierre Maurin

Similarly to the opening day’s game between Sirens and Valletta, the technical difference between first and second division sides was very apparent in the water and the final result of this match demonstrates this clearly.

Neptunes, now under Croat coach Sergio Afric (in his second spell with the reds where he hopes to annul the only negative record as regards league championships locally), did not face much difficulty and their use of press defence made it even harder for Marsaxlokk to build dangerous offensive moves.

Additionally, the winners were clearly physically more prepared and their numerous fast breaks were converted in a number of goals.

Two initial centre goals by captain Niki Lanzon and Karl Galea got the reds' goal-scoring machine going. By the end of the first session the score was already 5-0.

The southerners managed to minimise the damage quite well in the second session which contained only one goal in Neptunes' favour, although one has to state that Afric rotated his players in the water quite extensively.

Marsaxlokk finally broke their duck after 17 minutes when Simon Cachia beat reserve goalkeeper Camilleri with a low shot with Steve Camilleri excluded.

The latter finished as Neptunes' top goal-getter with a nap hand, one goal more than Lanzon who scored the game's nicest goal early in the final period following a crisp cross pass from Stellini. Another youngster in the winner's ranks, Sean Gravina, also managed to beat M'Xlokk's guardian Bonnici, early in the final session.

Eighty seconds from the game's end, M'Xlokk scored their second also through Cachia, this time with a backshot.

For the record, Neptunes had a 50% success rate from six man-ups whereas Joe Sciortino's side scored once from three exclusions.

Marsascala Breakers 8

Exiles RMF 2

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

M'Scala: I. Bugeja, C. De Barro 1, P. Privitera 1, C. Gialanze, J. De Caro 3, J. Licari 2, L. Grixti, S. Micallef, S. Farrugia, P. Fava, M. Borg Spiteri, D. Ciappara 1, R. Cutajar.

Exiles: J. Cuschieri, M. Grima, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, K. Camilleri, G. Desira Buttigieg, J. Cremona, J. Tabone, W. Privitera, A. Arrigo, J. Vella, M. Calleja 1.

Refs: Peter Balzan, Alex De Raffaele

The third session was the main turning point in this match. In fact until the change of ends the score was just 3-2 for M'Scala, led once again by Pierre Borg.

The southerners scored five consecutive goals in the next seven minutes of effective play and then controlled the game's proceedings in the final session.

Exiles gave a good account of themselves apart from their slackness during the third session. This year, the Sliema Tower side are led by Dirk Dowling who took over from Marco Manara. They presented a similar side to last year's with the addition of ex-Valletta William Privitera, although they probably will lose the services of Pace Lupi later in the season.

Centre Claudio Spiteri de Barro opened the score and he shortly followed by team-mate John Xerri de Caro to make it 2-0 for the greens.

However Exiles raised their morale as they managed to grab their first goal of the season late in the first session when Martin Calleja lobbed diagonally from the left on a fast break.

Early in the second session M'Scala won a penalty but Paul Privitera looked too relaxed and his 4-metre attempt finished wide to the left.

However M'Scala's two-goal advantage was restored just two minutes later when Darren Ciappara gave an assist to John Licari who had the easiest of tasks to tap into an open net.

Exiles' reply was instant as Timmy Sullivan surprised opponents' keeper Ian Bugeja with a weak low shot.

Borg's side, who had Anthony Galea missing, took the upper hand in the third session. First it was Licari who grabbed his brace with a seven-metre shot.

Privitera paid back for his earlier mistake on a 4 versus 3 break and seconds later it was Ciappara who scored from the right. De Caro then managed to register his hat-trick with two goals, the second from a penalty.

In the last session, both sides did not manage to increase to their goal tally with both goalkeepers effecting good saves but with also a number of unnecessary turnovers on both ends.