The first match in the programme resulted in an entertaining encounter with Marsascala managing to keep close with the more rated Sirens.However at the end the St. Paul’s Bay side emerged merited winners. The greens had Italian Valenti notching six goals and was the main spearhead even though he sometimes plays too much on his own.

Sirens opened an early 3-0 lead after four minutes with a brace from Charles Zammit and a Jurgen Borg goal in between. However Marsacala showed true grit when they managed to equalise before the session’s end through Fabio Valenti’s first two goals (the second on a penalty) on the day and a 3-3 goal by Mark Borg Spiteri.

Captain Paul Privitera put Sirens back in the lead in the opening stages of the second session but once again Valenti replied for a 4-4 scoreline.

Three positive minutes for Sirens led them to open a 7-4 lead with three consecutive goals starting with Zammit’s hat-trick followed by an angled Paul Fava shot and then it was Karl Montfort who made good use of a Galea exclusion.

Valenti however grabbed his poker with a goal from the left just eight seconds from the end of the second session on a K. Rizzo Naudi exclusion.

Valenti once again found the opponents’ net in the first minute of the third session after he broke clear on the left.

Shortly afterwards Sirens won a penalty but Varga had his shot saved by Bugeja. Varga however was quick to pounce on the rebound and another penalty was whistled for a Borg Spiteri foul on the same Varga. This time round Borg took the responsibility for the 5-metre free shot and he duly converted for 8-6.

This session was full of goals as Sirens just pipped M’Scala for the odd goal in nine.

Although Fava made it 9-6 in the 19th minute after some individual play by Valenti, the greens came back strongly and kept close contact when Alan Galea scored on a Montfort exclusion and then Darren Ciappara made it a tight 9-8.

In the next minute Sirens restored a 3-goal lead through Zammit’s fourth on the day and Borg’s hat-trick.

In the last minute of the session there was a tit-for-tat as Borg Spiteri’s centre goal was replied, seconds later, with a Montfort bounce-shot.

When Clint Mercieca broke clear and made it 13-9, four minutes from the game’s end, there was now no doubt as to who was to emerge winner even though Sirens always looked superior throughout the match.

In the final minutes there were two goals on both sides with Valenti registering his double hat-trick with a centre goal and Stephen Micallef beating Grech on a solitary break. In between these goals, Fava grabbed his third whilst Varga scored his only goal off a foul.

Sirens: A. Grech, P. Fava 3, K. Rizzo Naudi, P. Privitera 1, J. Rizzo Naudi, R. Xerri, J. Borg 3, T. Debono, K. Montfort 2, C. Zammit 4, C. Mercieca 1, Z. Varga 1, R. Mock.

M’Scala: I. Bugeja, J. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea 1, M. Borg Spiteri 2, L. Grixti, F. Valenti 6, G. Chetcuti, S. Micallef 1, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, M. Spiteri, D. Ciappara 1.

Refs: I. Sciriha, A. Deraffaele

Neptunes Vodafone 17

Ta’ Xbiex MP 5

(3-2, 5-1, 4-0, 5-2)

As fully expected, Neptunes did not have to exert themselves too much to register another win against inferior category teams. Ta’ Xbiex tried to limit the damage resorting to continuous possession, offensive moves even though they had a fine showing in the initial session which ended just 3-2 for the champions. The latter looked a bit too complacent at times, maybe already setting their minds on Sunday’s first summer showdown against rivals Sliema.

The first session was an interesting affair, score-wise. Michele Stellini beat K. Sciortino on the right and then beat Alex Bianchi’s desperate attempts to defend his goal.

Ex-Neptunes Dorian Pisani scored an equaliser two minutes later but Steve Camilleri, who seconds before had missed an easy chance and then did not swim fully back, quickly restored Neptunes’ lead just 12 seconds after Pisani’s goal.

Mark Galea Pace surprised Gouder with a lob from the right for a 2-2 score but the session ended with a Niki Lanzon goal on a Meli man-up.

The reds started distancing themselves in the second session as they then changed ends at 8-3. Ta’ Xbiex scored once in this session, again through Pisani (Gravina exclusion) but the champions had goals from the returning Karl Galea (on Meli’s second exclusion), S. Camilleri (on a 4 by 2 break), a Lanzon flick, a John Bronrigg netting and finally another goal from powerful S. Camilleri, this time on a Galea Pace man-up.

Four further goals without a reply increased Neptunes’ winning margin. Camilleri kept hurting Ta’ Xbiex’s rearguard with three goals, two on man-ups whilst Matthew Pisani scored Neptunes’ other goal in these eight minutes.

Benchers Luke Attard and Giorgio Sammut grabbed some glory in the final session as Attard scored twice, the first off an altruistic Sammut assist and the latter scored the reds’ 15th goal in the game. Ivan Milakovic scored his brace also in this session. On the opposite end, Galea Pace scored twice on a respective Gravina and Attard exclusion so as to register a hat-trick.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 2, G. Sammut 1, K. Galea 1, J. Brownrigg 1, I. Milakovic 2, S. Camilleri 6, L. Attard 2, D. Camilleri, S. Gravina, R. Sciortino, M. Stellini 1, M. Pisani 1.

Ta’ Xbiex: A. Bianchi, S. Meli, M. Manara, M. Galea Pace 3, C. D’Ugo, K. Sciortino, M. Camilleri, A. Tanti, K. Engerer, C. Sciortino, J. Vella, D. Pisani 2.

Refs: M. Dalli, M. Caruana.