Sirens 9

Neptunes Vodafone 6

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

Sirens, under the guidance of Pierre Borg, registered the first win of the official 2007 calendar when they had the better of reigning champions Neptunes.

The St. Paul’s Bay side opened a 3-0 lead after five minutes play. Jurgen Borg opened the score after just 26 seconds and Charles Zammit made it 2-0, 50 seconds later on a Pisani exclusion.

Sirens went 3-0 ahead when Clint Mercieca converted a penalty with a bounce shot to Gouder’s left.

Neptunes however opened the game in the short space of 28 seconds as captain Niki Lanzon grabbed a brace, the first off a rebound after a good save by Sirens’ custodian Alan Grech, who was replacing long-serving Joe Caruana Dingli who called it a day, and the second on a break after an accurate Pisani assist.

The two sides shared four goals in the second session. The Reds managed to forge for the only time in the lead, at 4-3, after Karl Galea, from close range, scored on Cutajar’s second exclusion and then Michele Stellini, on a three against two break, beat Grech from the right 90 seconds later. After almost ten minutes without a goal, Sirens made it 4-4 when Zammit beat Galea and then slipped the ball low beneath Gouder’s hands.

Half a minue before the change of ends, Borg put Sirens again in front.Three minutes into the third session Paul Privitera scored off a rebound to make it 6-4 but Neptunes replied immediately with a 7 metre Lanzon bounce shot.

Late into the session Sirens scored two spectacular goals First it was Mercieca who scored with a fast shot off the crossbar and then Montfort found the net with a crisp eight metre diagonal shot. Neptunes were now under pressure and Stellini gave them fresh hope with a powerful conclusion.

Privitera made sure of Sirens’ victory when he physically won a centre battle with Steve Camilleri and lobbed over Gouder.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 3, J. Camilleri, K. Galea 1, T. Agius, J. Brownrigg, S. Camilleri, G. Sammut, D. Camilleri, S. Gravina, R. Sciortino, M. Stellini 2, M. Pisani.

Sirens: A. Grech, P. Fava, K. Rizzo Naudi, P. Privitera 2, J. Rizzo naudi, E. Bonello, J. Borg 2, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort 1, C. Zammit 2, C. Mercieca 2, R. Attard, J. Sammut.

Refs: P. Balzan, A. Deraffaele

Sliema McDonalds 10

San Giljan 3

(4-2, 0-1, 5-0, 1-0)

Sliema beat neighbours San Giljan as both sides were playing their first official match of the season.

Without a doubt, the third session was very influential for the end result as during these eight minutes of effective play, the blues managed to score five consecutive goals and thus opened a six-goal margin.

In fact, midway into the game, there was only a tight one-goal margin between these two sides.

New signing Jonathan Valletta, who joined Sliema from Sirens, opened the score after two minutes of play and then, two minutes later, it was returning Mark Meli who made it 2-0.

The Saints, under the guidance of Italian Claudio Silvestri and also having Hungarian Gabor Toth in the squad, opened their tally through Kayne Lanzon but Soler grabbed his day’s first shortly afterwards on a man-up.

Although Lanzon again reduced the margin, also on an exclusion, Clint Debono restored Sliema’s two goal lead late in the first session.

The second session produced tight markig by both sides and there was only a solitary netting when Matthew Zammit beat Josie Cachia for 4-3.

However, after the change of ends, Sliema made sure of the win with goals from Michael Rizzo (delicate lob), Debono’s second, Daniel Paolella and two further goals from Soler.

The last session was practically a formality with Sliema managing to add another goal, with Soler registering his personal poker of goals.

Sliema: J. Ccahia, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina, M. Rizzo 1, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 4, D. Paolella 1, J. Gabaretta, C. Debono 2, J. Valletta 1, N. Lubrano, M. Calleja, A. Bianchi, J. Spiteri Staines, R. Coleiro.

San Giljan:K. Schembri, C. Spiteri de Baroo, A. Galea, C. Bonello, M. Pace, M. Zammit 1, G. Toth, J. Bonnici, M. Miggiani, D. Camilleri, S. Borg, J. Xerri de Caro, K. Lanzon 2.

Refs: M. Dalli, M. Caruana