San Giljan Salini Resort     11     Sliema Betsson     5    

(3-2, 2-1, 3-0, 3-2)

The champions swept over another obstacle, in their quest to defend the league title won last season. They are now just a point behind the leaders, Neptunes, and their encounter, next Tuesday, grows in importance. Once more they had a comfortable victory over the Blues, as they won all four sessions of play, with the one after the interval being the decisive one, when San Giljan struck three times without any reply from Sliema. The same Sliema made it more difficult for themselves, as they squandered all of their five man ups, during the game. The Saints had a favourable tally, scoring four times from their seven man ups. Peter Borg was back in the champions' side, after missing their last encounter. Sliema had changes in their line up. Jerome Gabarretta was missing, his place taken by Liam Galea. Kai Dowling returned, but Nicky Bugelli was missing, and Sliema also included Jamie Gambin, with no custodian cover, as Zach Sciberras was absent.

It was Sliema opening the scoring, through Alex Attard, with Paul fava replying for the Saints. Sliema were ahead once more, and for the last time, with a Matk meli special. The champions overturned thescore till the end of the session, with a penalty goal, by Boris Vapenski, and a strike by skipper, Matthew Zammit. In teh next period another Vapenski penalty increased San Gikljan's advantage. San Giljan's second goalie, Dean Camilleri, was then expelled from the bench, for protests. Sliema pulled a goal back, from John Brownrigg, but young Andreas Galea went in the water for the champions, and promptly scored from an angle, to give his side a 5-3 lead, at the interval.

After the break it was the Saints on the up and up, as they netted three times, by Aurelien Cousin, Vapenski, with a long range shot, and another from Galea. There was no reply from the Blues, as they fell behind, to the tune of 3-8, going into the last quarter. Ben Plumpton also found space to free himself from the opposing defence, to notch the Saints' next goal. Sliema had a brief flurry, with teh champions laying back, and goals by Mark Fenech and Marco Cuk made the score more respectable, but San Giljan pressed again, and managed toe more strikes till the end of the match, with Peter Borg and Matthew Zammit goals, to set up their encounter with neptunes, in a few adys' time.

S. Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg 1, A. Galea 2, B. Vapenski 3, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit 2, K. Galea , C. Mercieca , B. Plumpton 1, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit , D. Camilleri

Sliema: R. Coleiro , L. Galea , E. Aquilina , C. Cluett , M. Meli 1, J. Soler , M. Fenech 1, T. Sullivan , J. Brownrigg 1, A. Attard 1, M. Cuk 1, N. Bugelli , Z. Sciberras

Referees: P. Balzan, G. Fusco

 

BOV Premier League Standings

Championship Pool

Neptunes Grimaldi           11     8     3     0     127    79    27

San Giljan Salini Resort   11     7     2     1    129     87   26

Sliema Betsson                 12     5     3     4    103   104   18

 

Photos Domenic Aquilina

 

BOV Premier - Relegation Pool

Sirens return to winning ways

Sirens Ritter Sport     13     Exiles Jetfreight     8

(3-1, 1-1, 5-2, 4-4)

After their inept display, and defeat, against Valletta, Sirens were back on the winning track, beating Exiles for the third time in succession, as they opened up a five point gap, at the top of the standings. Exiles were still in contention till the interval, trailing by a couple of goals, but then they fell further behind after the break, with Sirens able to keep control of the match, despite Exiles' efforts in the last session.Sirens had Luke Farrugia closing down his suspension of two games, with Miguel Pellicano taking his place, and the second custodian rotation had Joe Cremona on the bench. Sirens netted their first three man ups, but failed in their next three. Exiles made it two from five, in man ups.

Gabriel Pace put Sirens in front, with Exiles tying with a Milos Vukicevic penalty. Till the end of the period Sirens obtaines a double advantage, with another Pace and Zach Mizzi goals. In the second session the two sides managed only a single goal each, with Jacob Sciberras increasing Sirens' lead, and Kurt Grixti reducing the deficit for Exiles. At the halfway mark Sirens were just 4-2 in front.

After the break Sirens pulled away from their adversaries, as they netted five times, with Exiles having Vukicevic scoring twice. For the St. Paul's Bay side there was Mizzi with his brace, Marc Grech, captain, David Cutajar and Sergi Mora, to take their side to a better 9-4 advantage. The last session had Grixti scoring once more for Exiles, with Grech doing the same for Sirens. Sean Gravina also scored for Exiles, as they also put their second goalie, Ganni Ciappara, in goal, vice Ian Bugeja. Sirens managed two more goals, from a Mora penalty, and Grech again. Exiles' reply also had them netting twice more, from a Vukicevic second penalty and skipper, Kayne Lanzon. The last goal of the match went to Mizzi, grabbing his poker of goals, for Sirens.

Sirens: N. Grixti , Z. Mizzi 4, S. Mora 2, G. Pace 2, M. Grech 3, I. Riolo , D. Cutajar 1, J. Napier ,  J. Sciberras 1, M. Pellicano , N. Farrugia ,  J. Cremona

Exiles: I. Bugeja , J. Rizzo Naudi , S. Vassallo , D. Pace Lupi , D. Borg Millo ,E. Gravina , S. Gravina 1, K. Grixti 2, N. Paris , A. Bianchi ,G. Ciappara ,  M. Vukicevic 4, K. Lanzon 1   

Referees: A. Goncharenko, A. Acierno

 

BOV Premier League Standings

Relegation Pool

                    Sirens Ritter Sport            13     5     2     6    117   117   17

                    Valletta McDonalds         12      4     0     8   118   138    12                                                                                                                                                                                   

                    Exiles Jetfreight               13      1     0   12   112   181      3