San Giljan Crystal Finance     7     Neptunes Grimaldi     7    

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

After a gruelling encounter, which left both sets of players exhausted, the drawn result leaves everything as it was before, with the Saints still enjoying a two-point advantage at the top of the standings. There were three telling occasions in this awaited match, with San Giljan having the better opening, and establishing a three-goal cushion. Neptunes, who seemed inept at first, came into their own, as they wiped out their deficit to go in front after the interval. The Saints tied the score before the last quarter, with both sides then working themselves to a frenzy, but the two keepers were on top of their form. The two neighbours could only score once more, and they both lost their last possession.

Goals by Guillermo Molina, Peter Borg and Aurelien gave the saints an early lead, with the champions having a Peter Biros strike in reply. In the next period Boris Vapenski lobbed into the net for a better Saints' advantage, but Neptunes came back in the reckoning, with a brace of Steve Camilleri goals, the second from a penalty. At the interval the Saints led on a mere, and low, 4-3 score.

After the break Neptunes continued where they left off, and two more strikes by Michele Stellini and another Camilleri penalty had the champions forging in front. Molina had San Giljan back on level terms, but Timmy Agius paid back his presence in the water to put Neptunes ahead once more. It was again Molina to take San Giljan on a tie, at 6-6, and that is how the last session started.

San Giljan had their skipper Matthew Zammit ramming home to put them ahead, but Neptunes again brought parity with an Ivan Krapic goal. The Saints missed their lastman up, Neptunes were left with the last possession of the match, but their final shot was deflected, and the two two sides ended the game all square.

Both San Giljan's Molina and Neptunes' Camilleri registered hat tricks.

It now remains to be seen how both sides will fare against Sliema, before they will meet each other once more, in the last match of the series.

San Giljan: J. Sammut, P. Borg 1, A. Galea , B. Vapenski 1, G. Molina 3, M. Zammit 1, K. Galea , Da. Zammit , B. Plumpton , A. Cousin 1, P. Fava ,  Di. Zammit , D. Spiteri

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon , M. Castillo , M. Stellini 1, T. Agius 1,I. Krapic 1,  S. Camilleri 3, J. Camilleri , J. Abela , P. Biros 1, B. LanzonS. Xerri de Caro , C. Mercieca

Referees: M. Bianchi, S. O'Brien

 

BOV Relegation Pool

Sirens go wild in the last session

Sirens Ritter Sport     14     Valletta McDonalds     7              

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

Sirens ran riot in the last quarter, to ease past the Citizens, who up until that time had remained close to their opponents. Valletta just fell away in the last session, to hand an easy victory to their adversaries.

Sirens twice went in front, in the opening period, but Valletta replied each time, for a drawn first session. Again Sirens scored twice in the next session, and this time the Citizens could only muster a single goal, going narrowly behind at the interval, on a 4-3 score.

After the break the same pattern continued. This time Sirens put in three past the Valletta defence, but the Citizens answered back each time, as they lost Michael Rizzo, due to protests. The last quarter had Sirens on a slight 7-6 advantage, but the script then changed, with Valletta failing in their first three man ups, and Sirens scoring to their hearts' content, and going beyond Valletta's reach, with seven goals on the trot. Valletta  managed the last goal of the encounter, but it was scant reward, as they had fallen away badly in the last minutes.

Edward Aquilina netted a hat trick for Sirens, as did Djorde Filipovic for Valletta.

Sirens are now at a distance from the other two teams in their Pool.

Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi , C. Presciutti , G. Pace , M. Grech , C. Kiss , M. Caruana  , D. Cutajar , J. Napier , E. Aquilina , L. Caruana  , A. Sammut , J. Sciberras

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

Referees: P. Balzan, D. McKerr

 

Championship Pool

San Giljan Crystal Finance    31

Neptunes Grimaldi                 29 

Sliema Frank Salt                   14

 

Relegation Pool

Sirens Ritter Sport                  19  

Valletta McDonalds                 6 

Exiles Ferretti               3

 

Photos Domenic Aquilina