Marsascala Breakers 17

Valletta Fortina 1

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

M'Scala: I. Bugeja, C. Spiteri De Barro 1, P. Privitera 2, C. Gialanze, J. Scerri De Caro 1, J. Licari 2, L. Griscti, S. Micallef 1, R. Cutajar 1

Valletta: E. Arrigo, R. Damato, M. Camilleri, Marc. Camilleri, D. Degiorgio, D. Saliba, A. Galea, J. Farrugia, D. Shaw, C. Saliba, P. Bonnici, M. Zammit 1, E. Pisani.

Refs: I. Sciriha, M. Caruana

Southerners Marsascala had an easy win over minnows Valletta so as to join the top guns with three consecutive wins with this win being the biggest win so far after six and five goal margin wins over San Giljan and Exiles respectively.

There was never any doubt that Pierre Borg's lads were in a better technical shape and frame of mind against lower division opponents. They were already 9-0 ahead at the middle of the game and the second half was similar although Valletta managed to break their duck half way into the third session when they scored their only goal from a man-up through veteran Mario Zammit to make it momentarily 11-1.

Throughout the game both sides won five expulsions with Valletta grabbing just one goal against Marsascala's four with Paul Privitera grabbing his brace in these moments.

Two players registered a personal poker, Paul Fava (all in the first 10 minutes) and Darren Ciappara, so that both now have a total tally of five goals in the season so far. Coach Borg also opted to play reserve goalkeeper Stephen Farrugia for the whole course of the game. Presently the team's top scorer is John Licari who yesterday had a personal brace.

Neptunes Vodafone 10

San Giljan Foster C 2

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

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 2, S. Camilleri 2, K. Galea, E. Cachia, J. Brownrigg 1, S. Gravina, G. Sammut, Dav. Camilleri, M. Azzopardi, D. Camilleri, M. Stellini 3, M. Pisani 2.

San Giljan: K. Schembri, K. Lanzon, K. D'Ugo, C. Bonello, G. Ghirxi, M. Zammit, I. Azzopardi, M. Pace, G. Farrugia, A. Borda, S. Borg 1, J. Spiteri, K. Grima Scott 1.

Refs: A. Deraffaele, M. Angileri

The Balluta derby had two facets. In the first part, San Giljan managed to make good use of a possession game and limited the damage only for Neptunes to increase the tempo in the final two sessions so as to finally win at ease.

It was only a one-goal game at the change of ends with a low score 2-1. Up to this moment Neptunes were not playing at full throttle and were also unfortunate with many shots (especially Galea and S. Camilleri) finishing hitting the two uprights.

Coach Sergio Afric did not seem too much worried as after all such performances are customary with his sides so early in the season, only to then peak fully in the last weeks and in this regard Neptunes may be on the right track in their quest to win the championship.

The only goal in the initial session was netted after almost two minutes through Matthew Pisani on a man-up advantage.

San Giljan equalised for the Saints in the first minute of the second session but four minutes later Pisani again put Neptunes ahead with a low shot.

The third session was very influential as in these seven minutes of effective play the reds opened a five-goal lead with a goal scored in each of the last four minutes. Steve Camilleri's shot was judged to have crossed the imaginary line on a Zammit (who was blocked out of the game) exclusion. The same youngster added another late in the session after a crisp Lanzon assist. In between these two gaols Michelle Stellini scored his first on the day and seconds afterwards captain Niki Lanzon converted his first penalty, this to the goalkeeper's right, of two after he himself was fouled by Ghirxi.

The game was won and lost and the final session was more open with Neptunes again scoring four goals. Lanzon scored his second 4-metre shot, this time to the keeper's left, after Galea was fouled by the Saints custodian Schembri after a fine offensive move.

After that San Giljan managed to score their second goal, 15 minutes after their first, through a Silvio Borg diagonal lob, Stellini regsistered his personal hat-trick with two consecutive goals (on a flick and after a breakaway) in less than a minute.

The game's final goal arrived in the dying seconds when Afric's time-out following a man-up was efficient as after just 3 seconds of play John Brownrigg scored from clseo range.

In the man-up statistics Neptunes scored three of their five man-up situations whilst the Saints missed the three man-ups they won during the derby.