Sliema registered a double over Sirens and also joined Neptunes in the top spot with ten points, although the latter have a game in hand. On the other hand, with this loss, Sirens are out of the race for the Winter League.

The game seemed to be moving to a low score encounter as the score was just 2-2 after 16 minutes of play.

However, the second half of the game produced a large number of goals.

The most influential part of the match occurred in the last session when with the score still tight at 7-6 in Sliema’s favour, the latter managed to score five consecutive goals in the next four and a half minutes to practically seal their fifth seasonal win.

The respective defences had the upper hand in the fist two sessions with Sliema opening the score through a Edward Aquilina man-up goal (the Blues had three goals on six in their man-up statistics).

Sirens (who had Paul Privitera missing with a shoulder injury) forged 2-1 in the lead within two minutes through powerful shots from Jurgen Borg and Jonathan Valletta.

The second session only produced a solitary goal when Andrea Bianchi made it 2-2 after that team-mate and custodian Josie Cachia had effected a poin-blank save off Neil Cassar on the opposite end.

Marco Manara’s side regained the lead early in the third session when Mark Meli beat Alan Grech who substituted Joe Caruana Dingli between the posts.

Despite further goals from Valletta and Borg, Sirens could only momentarily draw level but never went ahead another time as Sliema neutralised these goals through positive offensive conclusions by Michael Rizzo and Bianchi for a close 7-5 score early in the final session.

Sirens finally managed to score on a man-up on their fifth try through Karl Montfort. The next five minutes were dominated by Sliema’s offensive machine as John Soler grabbed a hat-trick while Meli and Aquilina added another netting for a safe 12-6 lead for the Blues.

The last two minutes were a formality with Sirens scoring two man-up goals (to end with three on seven) through Karl Rizzo Naudi while youngster Meli registered his hat-trick for the winners who have now won their last three matches in a row.

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina 3, M. Manara, M. Meli 3, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella, M. Rizzo 2, C. Debono, F. Cutajar, R. Scerri, A. Bianchi 2, R. Coleiro.

Sirens: J. Caruana Dingli, A. Grech, K. Rizzo Naudi 2, I. Martin, C. Zammit, J. Valletta 2, J. Borg 3, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort, J. Rizzo Naudi, C. Mercieca, R. Attard, N. Cassar.

Refs: P. Balzan, M. Caruana