BOV K.O. Premier – S/F 2

San Giljan Giuseppe’s 14

Neptunes Emirates 15

Agg. 21-29

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

It was a close score at the end , but the champions had a handsome first game lead to rest on, and this helped them through, to defend the honour won last season. The saints, who had coach, Karl Izzo, suspended, with Bogdan Rath in his place, stayed close, and were level after the opening period. San Giljan also changed their foreign line up, with Boris Letica taking Nicola Sutic’s place. Neptunes opened up another advantage in the second session, but San Giljan pulled back till the interval, for a 6-6 score.

The Saints again had to come back in the third session, but late goals had the champions on a good 12-9 lead. Neptunes increased their lead further, to a four goal one, but the Saints grimly returned, to strike four times in a row, and level the match. A late Gabriel Pace goal made it a Neptunes win, but the aggregate was heavily in their favour.

The Saints had a good six from ten man ups, but the champions were fickle in their six extra player occasions, scoring only once.

Darko Brguljan was deadly accurate for San Giljan, netting a total of eight goals. Neptunes’ reply came from the usual Steve Camilleri, with a poker of goals, and Tamas Molnar put in three more.

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, JC Cutajar 1, D. Brguljan 8, K. Galea 1, B. Plumpton, M. Zammit 1, B. Letica 2, A. Bianchi 1, R. Mock , C. Gialanze , K. Mock, D. Abela, M. Pisani

Neptunes: I. Bugeja, N. Lanzon 2, E. Aquilina , M. Stellini 2, G. Pace 1, A. Ciric 2, S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri , B. Lanzon , S. Gravina , R. Sciortino, T. Molnar 3, C. Mercieca 1

Referees: M. Dalli, C. Congiu

BOV K.O. 1 Div. – S/F 2

Otters Nivea 18

Ta Xbiex Amigos 12

Agg. 36-27

(3-0, 4-4, 6-3, 5-5)

The Gozitans reached their first K.O. final, and they went about it the right way, with a good opening session, as they extended their first match advantage. Ta Xbiex held their own in the second period, but their deficit remained till the interval, on a 7-4 score to Otters.

Otters struck again after the break, to draw further away from their opponents, with both sides then sharing the goals once more, in the last quarter, and Otters on a comfortable aggregate lead.

Duncan Schembri had a field day for the Gozitans, with his double hat trick, and John Paris put in four more. George Attard ended his two match suspension. Ta Xbiex again had their new player, Laszlo Suranyi, again on the mark, getting his nap hand of goals after the interval.

Otters: A. Cachia, An. Cachia , G. Zammit , Z. Radocz 1, S. Dimech 1, M. Balatoni 2, J. Paris 4, D. Schembri 6, K. Scicluna, K. Debattista 1, C. Martin 1, E. Farrugia, K. Grima Scott 2

Ta Xbiex: L. Borg, J. Cremona , A. Galea 1, M. Asciak , L. Suranyi 5, C. Bugeja 1, K. Kalea 1, J. Tabone 1, S. Cini , C. Saliba 1, R. Attard 1, O. Zammit , Y. Szeles 2

Referees: A. DeRaffaele, M. Angileri

Today’s programme

6pm Div I KO SF 2nd leg Valletta v Marsascala

7.15pm Premier KO SF 2nd leg Sliema v Sirens

Editor’s note - Yesterday’s waterpolo heading should have read “Sliema win” and not “Sirens win”. Apologies for this mistake.