Sliema Frank Salt     16      Valletta McDonalds      11

(4-3, 2-4, 3-1, 7-3)

A look at the final score gives the impression that Sliema had the game in control to obtain their victory over the Citizens, but it was only in the last five minutes of the match that Sliema broke away to ease their minds. They recovered from the scare against Sirens, when they saved the game with a penalty in the last three seconds, and when Valletta drew level in the last session, it must have entered in the Sliema's minds that they were in for another torrid time. Credit to them that they picked themselves up, and proceeded to tear Valletta's defence apart in the remaining time, and make sure of the result with time to spare.

The Citizens, under the guidance of Stephen Rizzo, with regular coach, Anthony Farrugia on duty in Azerbaijan with the junior national team, rallied back twice, from two goals behind, and were also themselves a brace of goals to the good. They matched their opponents for the major part of the encounter, but sadly fell away at the deciding part of the match, to end up with a heavy deficit, which didn't do them justice.

Sliema fared well in their man ups, profiting on five occasions from seven. Valletta managed to score in half of their eight man ups.

The Blues are momentarily on top of the standings,  but San Giljan can overtake them today, when they meet Exiles.

Both John Soler and Jerome Gabarretta scored a poker of goals for Sliema, with ex-player, from a couple of seasons back, Gergely Kiss, netting three times with his new team, Valletta.

Sliema:R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 4, K. Dowling , N. Bugelli 1, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 4, M. Spiteri Staines , C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg , M. Bodegas 3, A. Attard ,N. Dedovic 3, Z Sciberras,

Valletta: R. Sciortino, O. Zammit, M. Rizzo 1, K. Galea 2, A. Agius, R. Mock ,G. Kiss 3, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina 2, C. Zammit 1, D. Paolella,D. Filipovic 2, D. Camilleri

Referees: M. Dalli, G. Del Bosco

BOV 1 Div. League

Ta Xbiex leave it till late

Ta Xbiex Amigos     11      Otters Nivea     9

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

After their opening two victories, over M'Xlokk and M'Scala, Ta Xbiex were expected to obtain another win against the Gozitans, but it was a close call, as Otters just didn't want to bow down. In fact the Gozitans were ahead in the last session, and it was only a positive ending to the match by Ta Xbiex which guaranteed them the three points. Otters had Paul Saliba as their mentor in lieu of Alfred Cachia.

Otters led after the opening session, after twice falling behind, and this slim advantage was still there at the start of the last quarter, despite Ta' Xbiex forging ahead twice in the middle two sessions of play. The Gozitans recovered well, and when Srdjan Aksentijevic scored his fourth consecutive penalty throw, for a total of seven goals, to put Otters in front, in the last period, Ta Xbiex had to pick themselves up, and three goals in succession overturned the score in their favour.

This consolidated their position at the top of the standings, with three wins in a row, whilst Otters are still pointless.

Aksentijevic enhanced his personal score for Otters, whilst Adam Maklari, secured a hat trick, after his blazing ten goals, in his sides' rout of M'Scala, a few days ago.

Ta Xbiex scored in four of their nine man ups, and teh Gozitans converted their opening man up, but failed in their next five, to rue their chances in the match.

Ta Xbiex: J. Micallef, A. Maclari 3 , A. Camenzuli 1, G. Attard , M. Kallay 2, K. Mock 1, E. Gravina 1, M. Mifsud ,G. Debono 1, M. Zammit 1, A. Mifsud 1, L. Pace , K. Grima Scott 1

Otters: R. Bonnici, M. Borg Millo, M. Paris , L. Gialanze , F. Klajajevic 1, E. Meli 1, G. Mizzi , S. Dimech , N. Paris , D. Borg Millo , C. Martin ,S. Aksentijevic 7, C. Theuma