A superior display in the second part of the match helped Sliema remain in the title chase as they now have, albeit probably momentarily, joined arch-rivals Neptunes in the top spot although the latter play today against neighbours San Giljan.

Igor Gocanin’s side, who seem to be peaking after a somewhat shaky start in the second phase, had Francesco Cutajar missing with Nicolai Lubrano filling the void.

The key phase of the game were the last 75 seconds in the third session when, with the score tied at 7-7, Sliema notched two goals which gave them a psychological boost after Sirens had previously fought hard even though out of the title race.

Sliema missed an early Cutajar man-up and then, on the 2 minute mark, Sirens won a penalty after Debono fouled Fava and Hungarian Tamaz Mercx made it 1-0.

A minute later Fava was excluded and Tamas Varga scored his first of three on the day, similar to his team-mates Clint Debono and John Soler.

Paul Fava put Sirens back in the lead when he beat a centre duel against Debono and scored off the left post.

However the blues’ reply came just 17 seconds later when John Soler, defended by Montfort in the centre, scored a beauty with a back-hand thus even ending his 3-game goal drought.

Soler himself was excluded seconds after and Paul Privitera immediately scored for a 3-2 Sirens’ lead after the first session.

In the first offence of the second session Sliema won a Montfort exclusion and Jonathan Valletta scored against his ex-team.

At the opposite end a Soler exclusion was not converted. It was then Privitera who was excluded and Varga, in the 10th minute, put Sliema in the lead for the first time.

This lead was increased half a minute later with a Valletta 7-metre scorcher to the left corner.

Karl Montfort, who also scored a hat-trick, put Sirens back in contention just 20 seconds later with a 6 metre lob to the right to make it 5-4.

Sirens equalised after both sides had missed a respective man-up when Fava, despite defended by Rizzo, scored a nice back-hand goal.

Soler scored with a low 6 metre shot early in the 20th minute and then, late in the same minute, Debono made it 7-5 when he scored with a diagonal lob from the right with only 1 second left on the shot clock.

Sirens were still in the game and they managed to pull back at par, 7-7, after Montfort beat an on-form Cachia with a diagonal shot and then Charles Zammit scored on an Aquilina man-up.

The last seconds of the 3rd session were quite influential. Sliema’s captain Debono scored again and then, 18 seconds from time Fava was excluded. Gocanin called a time-out which proved fruitful as Soler made it 9-7 three seconds from the session’s horn.

A Meli assist led to a Varga goal in Sliema’s first attack in the final session. Montfort tried to infuse more sprit in Pierre Borg’s side with a delicate lob six minutes from time for 10-8 but Sliema were on song as, boosted by a number of saves by Cachia, they opened a 4-goal lead after Mark Meli managed to score off a rebound from a Debono shot off the post and then the same Debono scored a real scorcher when he beat Grech from 13 metres.

The last minutes were a mere formality with Mercx scoring his second just as Meli did, on the opposite end, again off a rebound.

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze, N. Lubrano, M. Rizzo, M. Meli 2, J. Soler 3, T. Varga 3, J. Valletta 2, C. Debono 3, E. Aquilina, D. Paolella, R. Coleiro, A. Bianchi.

Sirens: A. Grech, P. Fava 2, T. Merxs 2, P. Privitera 1, J. Rizzo Naudi, R. Mock, J. Borg, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort 3, C. Zammit 1, C. Mercieca, R. Attard, J. Sammut.

Refs: D. Di Meo, M. Dalli

* * *

Marsascala 7-Up 8

Exiles Pender Gardens 7

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

The greens from the south are the new second division champions after beating fellow contenders Exiles with a minimal win after a hard fought match decided finally decided with a goal 16 seconds from the end.

Exiles, who led the standings for most of the league, got off to a good start as they went 2-0 ahead after 3 minutes. Half a minute into the game they won a penalty and Frenchman Aurelien Cousin beat Ian Bugeja from the 5-metre free shot.

Two minutes later, Timmy Sullivan then found the southerners’ net. The latter opened their goal tally late in the 5th minute when Italian prolific goal-getter Fabio Valenti converted a penalty.

Late in the first session Calleja was excluded and Mark Borg Spiteri equalised for Mario Zammit’s lads.

Both sides respectively missed an early man-up in the second session. Midway into this session John Licari, whose timely return last week after a long suspension proved a major boost, put the greens for the first time in the lead.

Karl Rizzo Naudi duly replied a minute later but just 12 seconds later Valenti grabbed his brace.

Another tit-for-tat ensued in the 7th minute as Cousin’s momentary equaliser was replied seconds after by Licari’s second on the day.

However the score halfway into the match was at par as John Paris beat Bugeja half a minute from time.

The greens missed on a Sullivan exclusion and paid dearly as Exiles scored through Karl Rizzo Naudi immediately on the opposite end.

Valenti made it a personal poker with two goals in the 3rd and the 6th minute respectively, goals that helped Marsascala end the third session 7-6 ahead after Exiles did not convert a Galea man-up late in the session.

The last session was a tense affair with effective saves by both goalkeepers. Finally, in the 6th minute, Cousin managed to beat a resolute Bugeja after managing to thwart Valenti’s and Micallef’s double marking for a 7-7 score line which was surely going down well also with the Ta Xbiex contingent watching the game as they would have been still well in the running for the championship had the game ended in a stalemate.

This was not to be as M’Scala scored the decisive winner 16 seconds from the end when Darren Ciappara beat Imbroll with a low shot to the right corner.

Exiles had a good chance to notch a late equaliser when 4 seconds from time Valenti was excluded after fouling Cousin but the latter shot wide immediately after the foul.

The final horn brought a lot of celebration from the M’Scala squad and supporters on the terraces as they were presented with the Wilkinson 2007 second division championship trophy.

M’Scala: I. Bugeja, J. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Griscti, J. Licari 2, M. Spiteri, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, F. Valenti 4, D. Ciappara 1.

Exiles: N. Imbroll, K. Rizzo Naudi 2, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, G. Desira Buttigieg, J. Paris 1, J. Cremona, K. Griscti, A. Cousin 3, A. Arrigo, A. Borg Cole, M. Calleja.

Refs: A. Deraffaele, I. Sciriha

Programme

Today

Tal-Qroqq: Under 19 4.30pm Sliema McDonalds-Sirens; Division II 5.45pm Marsaxlokk Freeport-Ta' Xbiex MP; Division I 7pm San Giljan Zara-Neptunes Vodafone.