Neptunes Grimaldi    14     Sirens Ritter Sport    10

 (3-1, 3-2, 4-2, 4-5)

The champions are in the Knock-Out final after a workmanlike victory over Sirens. Neptunes won the first three sessions of play, to pull away from their adversaries, and then reduced their pressure in the the last quarter, always keeping a safe distance from their opponents. Sirens also gave them a helping hand, when they missed their first seven man ups, allowing Neptunes to open up a comfortable lead till late in the third period. Sirens made more of a game of it in the last session, but the champions had a hold on the match to cruise through to a place in the final, as they await the victors in the second semi final today.

Neptunes struck first with two goals, and ended the session 3-1 ahead, as Sirens missed their opening four man ups. In the next period added on two more goals, before Sirens started to play better, although they failed in two more man ups. At the interval the champions held a 6-3 advantage.

After the break both sides claimed a goal apiece, before Steve Camilleri broke through for Neptunes with three goals in quick succession to put his side's minds at rest. Sirens pulled a goal back, but they began the last quarter 5-10 in arrears.  The last session was more open, but Neptunes were always increasing their lead, with Sirens on four occassions. Sirens then scored the last goal of the match, for a somewhat better scoreline, but they had already acknowledged Neptunes as the victors, long before the end.

Neptunes, who netted six times from eleven man ups, had Steve Camilleri on six strikes, and Clint Mercieca claimed a hat trick. Sirens finished with four goals from 12 manups, with Christian Presciutti on a poker of goals, and Csaba Kiss with three more.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon , M. Castiloo , M. Stellini 2, T. Agius , I. Krapic 1,  S. Camilleri 6, J. Camilleri 1, M. Cutajar , P. Biros ,B. Lanzon , S. Xerri de Caro , C. Mercieca 3

Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi , C. Presciutti 4, G. Pace , M. Grech , C. Kiss 3,M. Caruana  1, D. Cutajar 1, J. Napier 1, E. Aquilina , L. Caruana  ,A. Sammut , J. Sciberras

Referees: P. Balzan, F. Brasiliano

 

BOV 1 Div. League

M'Xlokk stroll alongside M'Scala, but with a match more

Otters Nivea     9     M'Xlokk Fischer     21   

(3-2, 2-5, 3-7, 1-7)

M'Xlokk went alongside the league leaders, M'Scala, with their runaway victory over the Gozitans, but M'Scala will be meeting Ta Xbiex today to regain sole top place, if they take any points from the encounter.

Otters are making a habit of starting well, and they were in front after the opening session,  but then they fall away badly, and M'Xlokk did not take long to go in front. After the break M'Xlokk eased away, and then struck well, before the start of the last period, to make sure of the match. The last period only served to make the result more emphatic for M'Xlokk, as they netted seven more goals, as they did in the previous session, for a whopping big score, and another 20+ goals victory.

Both sides had penalty misses, two from the Gozitans, with a converted one, and M'Xlokk also missed the first, before scoring the second.

Ivan Vuksanovic again had a high personal score, with six goals, for M'Xlokk, along with hat tricks from Claudio Spiteri de Barro and Milos Korolija. Otters had a foursome of players, all with two strikes, Filip Kljajevic, Edward Meli, Nicky Paris and Srdjan Akesentijevic, the latter also missing a penalty throw.

Otters: R. Bonnici, M. Borg Millo , M. Paris , L. Gialanze , F. Kljajevic 2,E. Meli 2, K. Scicluna ,G. Mizzi 1, N. Paris 2, D. Borg Millo ,D. Dimech , S. Aksentijevic 2, M. Xerri

M'xlokk: N. Xuereb , C. Spiteri de Barro 3, M. Korolija 3, A. Galea 1,C. Gialanze 1, C. Bugeja 1, N. Portelli 2, I. Vuksanovic 6, R. Scerri 2, M. Lanzon 2, J. Xerri de Caro , J. Cremona

Referees: S. Licari, L. Barletta