Neptunes V 21

Exiles 6

(4-2)(6-2)(5-1)(6-1)

Neptunes displayed their awesome array of power play, with a comprehensive victory over an Exiles side, who had to bear the full brunt of a team yearning for a league success after so many years. With Croat, Dudo Simenc, to bolster the side further, Neptunes turned on a commanding performance, to serve notice to the other teams, about their intentions. Exiles were in the game till midway through the second session, when they were then overwhelmed by an avalanche of goals.

Gerben Silvis, Exiles’ Dutch player, will serve them well this season, but against Neptunes, although notching five goals, he had to play second fiddle, as his opponents’ collective play dominated the procedings. John Paris returned to his first love, from Sliema, turning in a quiet appearance, being well marked by Neptunes’ fast swimmers. Simenc missed a penalty, but settled down to spray passes to his colleagues, as they pierced Exiles’ rearguard at will, with Steve Camilleri and Karl Galea creating space, and obtaining good personal scores.

Neptunes: 7 Steve Camilleri, 5 Karl galea, 3 Dudo Simenc, 2 edward Cachia, 1 Niky Lanzon, 1 Matthew Pisani, 1 Michele stellini, 1 Luke Attard

Exiles: 5 Gerben Silvis, 1 Timmy Sullivan

Referees: Mario Dalli, Peter Balzan

Sirens 2X 17

Ta’ Xbiex MP 6

(6-2)(4-0)(4-1)(3-3)

The champions recorded a handsome victory over a modest Ta’ Xbiex outfit, who tried to keep long possession, to limit the damage. They have a young Belgian, Tom van Oost, with lots of energy, and paraded the Rizzo Naudi brothers, from the same Sirens, but although the St. Pauls Bay side were without their Hungarian player, who still had commitments abroad, they still had too many guns for their opponents’ liking. They also profited from their man up occasions, netting six times from eight instances.

Both teams opted to introduce their second goalkeepers, at the start of the third session, when Sirens already had a winning lead. It was actually Ta’ Xbiex who opened the scoring early in the game, but Sirens replied fully, as they swamped their adversaries till the interval. After they increased their lead further in the third period, the champions then relaxed their hold on the match, allowing Ta’ Xbiex more freedom of the pitch, to share the last quarter.

Sirens: 4 Paul Privitera, 4 Jonathan Valletta, 4 Jurgen Borg, 3 Clint Mercieca, 1 Neil Cassar, 1 Karl Montfort

Ta’ Xbiex: 2 Tom van Oost, 1 Julian Rizzo Naudi, 1 Karl Rizzo Naudi, 1 Alan Galea, 1 Peter Paolella

Referees: Massimo Angileri, Alex de Raffaele