Sirens Ritter Sport 12 Sliema Frank Salt 12
(4-3, 2-2, 3-4, 3-3)
Sirens were just three seconds away from a deserved victory over the more quoted Sliema side, already with an honour under their belt, and a league win behind them. A penalty throw, following a Sirens mistake, when their player, Gabriel Pace, out on three fouls, continued to play, saved Sliema's blushes. Nikola Dedovic became the game's top scorer, with his fifth netting for the Blues.
Sliema always seem to struggle against the tenacious Sirens, and they were trailing for most of the match. The Blues were only in front twice, early on in the match and at the start of the last quarter, with Sirens stifling them with their defence, and Sliema wasteful in their numerous man ups. It was the first league point for Sirens, after their loss against Valletta, with Sliema having beaten Exiles during thee weekend for their three points.
Sliema had John Brownrigg in their ranks for the first time in this summer campaign, and he managed to bag a brace of goals, whilst Timmy Sullivan was missing. There were a total of 25 expulsions throughout the encounter, with Sirens netting seven fron 11 of them, and Sliema only managing five strikes from 14 extra player occasions.
Sirens were ahead by the odd goal in the opening session, and they held on to a slim 6-5 advantage till the interval. They were still on a double lead after the break, but two late goals had Sliema drawing level, at 9-9. In the last period the Blues forged ahead, but Sirens were again in front soon after. Dedovic had Sliema on an even score, with skipper David Cutajar restoring Sirens' lead. Then came the late drama, with the penalty throw taking ages to be taken, shades of a somewhat similar incident between the two sides last season, when Sirens failed their penalty throw in a controversial situation, but that is all water under the bridge.
Sirens were denied their victory, and Sliema salvaged a point, although in reality they lost two, in a chase for the league title.
Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi , C. Presciutti4 , G. Pace, M. Grech , C. Kiss, M. Caruana, D. Cutajar 4, J. Napier, E. Aquilina3 , I. Riolo , A. Sammut 1, M. Muscat
Sliema:R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 1, K. Dowling , N. Bugelli, M. Meli , J. Soler 3, M. Spiteri Staines , C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg , M. Bodegas 1, A. Attard , N. Dedovic 5, Z Sciberras,
Referees: P. Balzan, A. Sgarra
BOV 1 Div. League
Comfortable win for M'Xlokk
M'xlokk Fischer 21 Otters Nivea 9
(4-2, 5-5, 5-2, 7-0)
M'xlokk garnered their first league points, after their opening game loss to Ta Xbiex a week ago. Otters suffered another heavy defeat, as they kept in touch with their opponents till the interval, but then they did not last the pace, going further in arrears, and throwing in the towel in the last session, as M'xlokk continued to pile in their goals. Last week M'Xlokk had fallen foul to Ta Xbiex, and Otters succumbed to M'Scala. Claudio Spiteri de Barro, who missed the opening league defeat, returned for M'Xlokk, and scored a nap hand of goals.
Penalty throws, four of them, all converted by Srdjan Aksentijevic, had Otters staying close to their adversaries, but M'Xlokk were two goals in front by the end of the opening session, and they kept their advantage till the interval, on a 9-7 score, with goals a-plenty. Then M'Xlokk broke loose after the break, as they extended their advantage, and they ran riot in the last quarter, netting seven times without any reply from the Gozitans, for a heavy win.
Ivan Vuksanovic netted a double hat trick for M'Xlokk, besides Spiteri de Barros' tally, and Aksentijevic's penalties put him as the Otters' main marksman.
M'xlokk: N. Xuereb, C. Spiteri de Barro 5, M. Korolija 2, A. Galea 1, C. Gialanze , C. Bugeja 1, N. Portelli 3, I. Vuksanovic 6, A. Zarb Cousin, R. Scerri 2, M. Lanzon, J. Xerri de Caro 1, J. Cremona
Otters: R. Bonnici, M. Borg Millo, M. Paris , L. Gialanze , F. Klajajevic 1, C. Theuma , G. Mizzi 2, M. Dimech, N. Paris 1, D. Borg Millo 1, C. Martin, S. Aksentijevic 4, P. Theuma
Referees:R. Magri, G. Ibba