The first summer rival derby, played in front of a colourful and vociferous crowd, went to Sliema after a sporting duel between these two local giants. This was also the blues’ first 2007 victory over the reds after the two winter league outings went to Neptunes.

Both coaches had their contracted coaches making their first showing in this campaign. Locally seasoned Sergio Afric came for an initial short stay to lead Neptunes before returning to end the Italian championship whilst Igor Gocanin, who was a stalwart for Sliema in the 90s, was present for the game after just arriving yesterday.

Sliema had also the return of Jonathan Valletta in the squad although this high potential player has yet to regain match practice after being sidelines for a number of weeks due to a hand injury.

Steve Camilleri opened the score for Neptunes when he scored form the left on a Tamas Varga exclusion. Sliema equalised 70 seconds later when he scored with a 6 metre shot to the left corner.

Half a minute later Varga, who was continuosly marked by opposing foreign import Ivan Milakovic, scored his only goal in the match with a bounce shot.

With D. Camilleri excluded, Michael Rizzo made it 3-1 with a low bounce shot.

After missing on a Debono exclusion, Neptunes clawed back into the game when Niki Lanzon first, in the centre, had a back-hand hitting the cross bar and then was quick to pounce on the rebound an put the ball in the net.

The reds overturned the score in their favour. Milakovic, with a low bounce shot to the right, scored on a Cutajar exclusion and then it was Karl Galea who made it 4-3 with a centre goal after a crisp Lanzon assist. In between Sliema had Varga momentarily injured and also missed on a S. Camilleri exclusion.

A choral move on both sides of the pitch led to Sliema’s fourth goal as Gialanze, Soler and Edward Aquilina passed the ball and the latter, on a 4 v3 break, beat Gouder.

Milakovic, however, again gave the lead to Neptunes (incidentally for the last time) with a centre goal.

After Neptunes won the second session 3-1, it was then Sliema who won the next session with an identical score.

On a S. Camilleri exclusion, Aquilina scored his second off an accurate Cutajar assist. The blues missed on a Galea exclusion (here Valletta entered into the game) and then Neptunes missed on an Aquilina man-up.

An Aquilina shot was blocked but John Soler, in the centre, took the rebound and turned the ball in the net. Sliema’s lead was short-lived as just 15 seconds later Steve Camilleri scored from a difficult angle from the left.

The third session ended 7-6 for Sliema as Mark Meli scored on a Gravina man-up in the last seconds.

The Blues twice opened a two-goal lead in the last session as they also won two penalties in the last eight minutes, both converted by John Soler.

Michele Stellini instilled fresh hope in the Neptunes clan with a goal from the right after a good team offensive ball rotation.

With five minutes to go Meli was excluded and Stellini scored his second.

Tension was evident as both sides were wary of each other and three minutes had to pass to witness the next goal when, on a Gravian exclusion, Soler notched his poker when both teams were coming out of a time-out and Neptunes were completely disorganised.

Forty-five seconds from time captain Niki Lanzon scored with a low shot to Cachia’s right. Sliema lost possession and S. Camilleri passed to Milakovic who broke clear on the right but the latter, despite having an opportunity to advance closer to goal, opted for a five- metre shot which was saved by Josie Cachia with his left hand, a save that guaranteed Sliema’s victory.

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

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina 2, M. Rizzo 1, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 4, T. Varga 1, J. Valletta, C. Debono 1, F. Cutajar, J. Gabaretta, D. Paolella, R. Coleiro.

Refs: M. Dalli, P. Balzan.

Exiles Pender Gardens 11

Marsaxlokk Freeport 10

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

This match was highly balanced and ended with a minimal margin of victory with the Southerners surely blaming themselves for losing a 2-goal lead in the last 3 minutes and also after missing a man-up in the dying seconds.

Glen Ghirxi and Sergey Frolov gave an early 2-0 lead to M’Xlokk after just 106 seconds only for Aurelien Cousin to reduce the margin 25 seconds later.

In the first five minutes of the second session Exiles went on a 3-0 run with Cousin adding a further two goals and John Paris scoring his first of four.

A Frolov brace, the second on a penalty, made it a 4-4 game but the session ended at 5-5 after Paris grabbed his second 40 seconds from the end and then Alan Farrugia replied for M’Xlokk ten seconds from the change of ends.

Once again Exiles opened a two-goal lead 3 minutes into the third session. Paris first scored on a Ghirxi exclusion and then made it 7-5.

Glen Ghirxi and David Pace Lupi exchanged goals before Keith Grima Scott, two seconds from the third session’s end, scored with a nice shot to reduce the southerners deficit.

The last session was a very interesting affair with Marsaxlokk opening up a 10-8 lead with just thre minutes to go and then Exiles staging a late comeback with three consecutive goals and then defended bravely a man-down in the last seconds so as to win this encounter.

Exiles: N. Imbroll, A. Borg Cole, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi 2, T. Sullivan, S. Cini, J. Paris 4, J. Cremona 2, K. Grixti, A. Cousin 3, G. Desira Buttigieg, S. Vassallo, M. Calleja.

M’Xlokk: R. Bonnici, G. Attard, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia 1, K. Farrugia, C. Bugeja, E. Pisani, D. Schembri 2, S. Frolov 4, K. Grima Scott 1, G. Ghirxi 2, G. Zammit, A. Sammut.

Refs: A. Deraffaele, M. Caruana.

Marsascala 7-Up 12

Ta Xbiex Mer. Paradise 7

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

Marsacala made it two wins in two days when they overcame Ta Xbiex who presented their foreigner, Roman Polacik, for the first time this season.

The Greens made a headstart with a 5-0 score in the first session with Mark Borg Spiteri opening with the first two goals and then Stephen Micallef had a brace (the first on a break after a Polacik missed attempt with Bugeja off his posts and the second on a man-up. Sandwiched between the se two goals there was Fabio Valenti’s first of the day with a low shot from eight metres.

Borg Spiteri made it a personal hat-trick early in the second session and just 8 seconds later Polacik opened Ta Xbiex goal account with a powerful shot.

M’Scala raplied with two goals, Duncan Cassar scored with a lob and then Valenti found the net with a back-hand off a foul.

The session ended with Polacik reduced the margin with a penalty. The same player scored another from the centre and shortly afterwards captain Dorian Pisani made it 8-4 as Ta Xbiex were on a 3-0 run.

Polacik extended this run with a fine goal on a man-up but the run was halted when Valenti scored a beauty when he beat his defender in the hole and then made it 10-5 game when he broke clear and received an accurate pass from Bugeja.

The last session was a formality as the two teams shared four goals with Borg Spiteri and Valenti adding more to their personal tally whilst Johnjohn Tabone notched a brace for Ta Xbiex.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, J. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 4, L. Grixti, F. Valenti 5, K. Enriquez, S. Micallef 2, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar 1, M. Borg, D. Ciappara.

Ta Xbiex: A. Bianchi, S. Meli, M. Manara, M. Galea Pace, C. D’Ugo, K. Sciortino, M. Camilleri, R. Polacik 4, J. Tabone 2, K. Engerer, C. Sciortino, J. Vella, D. Pisani 1.

Refs: I. Sciriha, R. Spiteri