San Giljan Giuseppe’s 26

Otters Nivea 8

(4-5), (8-2), (8-1), (6-0)

San Giljan made short shrift of their Gozitan adversaries. True, Otters made a bright start, and actually won the opening session, but as the game progressed the Saints could assert their superiority, and they ran away with the encounter.

It was a field day for the two Saints’ foreigners, as they bagged thirteen goals between them, more than half of their team’s tally. Andrea Bianchi helped himself to a poker of goals. Otters’ foreign imports also grabbed a hat trick each, but the going was tough for the Gozitans, from the second period onwards.

San Giljan made partial use of their man up instances, scoring in half of their occasions. Otters went better, losing out in only their last one, in five man ups.

The Saints were a goal behind after the first session, when they had to chase their opponents. From then onwards they continued to score freely, but not so Otters, whose scoring tally began to dry up with each passion session. The Saints’ superior swimming was more evident as time passed, and haphazard defending by Otters made the job easier for San giljan, as they made a comprehensive victory.

San Giljan: K. Schembri, JC Cutajar 2, N. Sutic 9, K. Galea 1, F. Trajkovic 5, K. Dowling 2, L. Grixti 1, A Bianchi 4, M. Borg Spiteri, C. Gialanze, P. Fava 1, A. Galea 1, A. Borda

Otters: J. Cremona, G. Attard, G. Zammit, Z. Radocz 3, D. Schembri 1, A. Maklari 3, K. Scicluna, S. Dimech, JP Buttigieg, G. Tabone, C. Martin, P. Martin, K. Grima Scott 1

Referees: A. De Raffaele, M. Angileri

M’skala Meat.com.mt 7

Sliema McDonalds 23

(1-8), (2-4), (3-5), (1-6)

A blistering start by Sliema established a heavy advantage, and although their scoring wavered a little before the interval, the Blues began to pick up once more, and ran up another strong victory, like the previous game.

M’skala were hit hard, but gathered themselves up in the middle sessions. They were hit once more in the last session, when Sliema began to press again, with their constant swimming.

The two foreigners made a total nine strikes for the winners, and James Spiteri Staines also rammed in a four goal tally. John Licari still showed the M’skala youngsters the way to goal, with his poker of goals.

M’skala had only one foreigner in their line up, but he was well marked. Exclusions were few and far between, and were nearly all fluffed, with M’skala wasting all their three occasions, and Sliema, who only had two man ups, only scored their last one, in the last session.

Sliema had already ran away with the match, from the start, piling up a large advantage. M’skala also lost the second and third periods, but their contributions were increasing, despite the goals being scored against them. Sliema put on the pressure once more, in the last session, breaking away fast from defence, and the winning margin climbed steadily till the end of the match.

M’skala: S. Farrugia, C. Spiteri de Barro, D. Caruana, B. Plumpton, M. Pace, M. Koralji 1, J. Licari 4, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef, R. Scerri 1, D. Cassar, O. Zammit, E. Arrigo

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 1, N. Lubrano, P. Privitera 2, J. Spiteri Staines 4, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella 1, J. Brownrigg, C. Debono 2, M. Spiteri Staines 1, V. Balazs 4, B. Rath 5, D. Abela

Referees: P. Balzan, P. Giordano