Exiles Ferretti     9     Valletta McDonalds     8

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

The two sides were meeting for the fifth time, with Valletta claiming three wins to Exiles' sole victory. Exiles needed at least a two-goal win to keep hopes alive of evading the last position in the standings, with Valletta playing their last match against Sirens on Friday. They just failed in their intentions, but they were well on their way at the start of the last quarter, when they enjoyed a four-goal advantage on their adversaries. Valletta came back, to achieve their aim, and keep their top division status for next season.

Valletta opted to play Ryan Sciortino in goal, but it was not long before Dean Camilleri took his place between the posts. The Citizens began well enough, taking a two-goal advantage, but Exiles answered back in style, scoring three times in succession to forge ahead. In the next period Exiles doubled their lead, and Camilleri went in goal for Valletta. The Citizens twice went to just a goal behind, bur Exiles were still two goals to the good at the interval, on a 6-4 advantage.

After the break Michael Rizzo again had Valletta a step away, but then they failed in two man ups, while Exiles managed to score twice more to take a good 8-5 lead. They went one better in the last session, as Romain Blary increased their advantage. The Citizens began the long way back, as Gergely Kiss blasted home his first goal. It was Exiles who then missed two man ups, and Gergely reduced Valletta's deficit to a single goal, with two more strikes, the second from a penalty throw. Exiles could still go ahead once more, but they also failed their next man up, and the Citizens gained possession to play out the remaining seconds, and take their slim defeat, which was to their liking.

Both Exiles' Marco Cuk and Valletta's Gergely Kiss scored hat tricks.

Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi , S. Vassallo 2, D. Pace Lupi 1, R. Blary 2, J. Spiteri Staines , M. Paris , K. Grixti , S. Galea Pace , A. Bianchi 1, M. Cuk3 , P. Paris , K. Lanzon

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

Referees: R. Colombo, M. Ruscica

 

Relegation Pool

Sirens Ritter Sport                  19  

Valletta McDonalds                 9 

Exiles Ferretti                           9   (+1)