SAN ĠILJAN TUM INVEST.........9

NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS.............8

(3-3), (4-2), (0-1), (2-2)

San Ġiljan Tum Invest confirmed their potential and intentions to fight for the league as they won the St Julians derby against Neptunes Leo Vegas 9-8. A tight affair between two teams that aren’t distant from each other but in games like these, the detail can swing the encounter. It was the second win in five days for San Giljan against Neptunes, following their 9-7 win in the President's Cup on Saturday.

One of the main reasons for San Ġiljan’s win was that Marko Orlovic’s team won again the battle between the foreigners as Aleksandar Ivovic led his team and scored a hat-trick, while French Romain Blary did his team duties but failed to be productive, and failed also to find the net. Neptunes could have snatched a draw as they weren’t inferior to San Ġiljan, but coach Maslovar maybe needs to involve Blary more in his set-up. A major factor for Neptunes was the loss of Niki Lanzon who was fouled out in the third session.

It was the Neptunes captain who opened the score, but San Ġiljan’s reaction resulted in two goals. Dino Zammit responded to the goal of Stevie Camilleri, but the number seven of Neptunes made it 3-3 with last action of the session.

The game continued to increase in level with the ball going back and forth as both teams tried to open up an advantage. San Ġiljan managed to take a two-goal lead after a hat-trick by Ivovic and a goal by captain Matthew Zammit. On the other hand, Neptunes scored from Lanzon and hit another by centre Jeremy Abela.

Neptunes were chasing the result and Maslovar’s words must have inspired the team as they were slightly better than their opponents and deservedly reduced the gap to one goal after Jordan Camilleri scored his first goal of the game. Neptunes could have also equalised in a number of times, but Jake Tanti made sure to keep his team in advantage at the end of the third session.

(Photos Domenic Aquilina)

The score became 7-7 in the beginning of the last session after another goal by Jordan Camilleri. But San Ġiljan were triggered by this goal and scored twice in quick succession and went in the driving seat to secure to win. Stevie Camilleri kept Neptunes hoping, but they failed to equalise in their last three attempts .

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg, A. Galea, B. Grech, J. Galea, M. Zammit (1), B. Plumpton (1), Da. Zammit, A. Ivovic (3), A. Cousin, P. Fava (1), Di. Zammit (3), T. Micallef

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole N. Lanzon (2), T. Agius, K. Erdogan, R. Blary, S. Gravina, S. Camilleri (3), J. Camilleri (2), J. Abela (1), M. Zammit, M. Tabone, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja

Referees: Marco Piano, Alex De Raffaele

EXILES JETFREIGHT....................6

SLIEMA FRANK SALT.................13

(3-3), (1-3), (0-2), (2-5)

A winning start for Sliema Frank Salt as they started their quest to win their first title since 2009, with a 13-6 win against Exiles Jetfreight. A brilliant performance by Bogdan Rath’s team who were better from start to finish especially after the break.

Sliema have a good team with a mix of experienced and young players, alongside Spaniard Guillermo Molina who is back in Malta after being instrumental in San Ġiljan’s double two years ago. All in all, it was a collective effort by Sliema who might be the dark horse of the league.

Exiles had a positive start in the game, but as time went by, they failed to keep up their rhythm. A positive note is the signing of experienced Serbian player Slobodan Nikic who also scored a poker.

Sliema failed to take a good lead in the first session as Exiles responded in the three occasions that Sliema scored. But after the score became 4-4 in the second session, Zach Mizzi and Nicholas Bugelli made sure that Sliema enter the break with a 6-4 advantage.

Their advantage doubled in the third session as they scored two goals without conceding, to practically put the game to bed. In the last session, Sliema controlled the game to avoid surprises and managed to finish the game with a comfortable lead.

Exiles: M. Castillo, J. Rizzo Naudi, J. Bajada, M. Stellini (1), T. Sullivan (1), S. Xerri de Caro, S. Nikic (3), K. Griscti, N. Paris, A. Bianchi, D. Borg Millo, L. Felice, S. Galea Pace

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta, E. Aquilina (3), C. Cluett (1), G. Molina (3), K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines (1), L. Galea, M. Meli, J. Gambin (2), Z. Mizzi (1), N. Bugelli (2), Z. Sciberras

Referees: Luca Iacovelli, Peter Balzan

BIRŻEBBUGIA..........................10

MARSASKALA TRANSCRIPTA...11

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

After losing in the Sports Journalist Cup against Marsaxlokk, Marsascala opened their league account with a hard-fought win, defeating newcomers Birżebbugia 11-10. As the game evolved, it seemed that every result would be suitable as both teams tried their best, and in fact no team had a comfortable lead during the game. A protagonist for Marsascala was surely Andrija Vlahovic scoring six goals in the process.

Despite the defeat, it was a positive comeback for Birżebbugia after an absence of 16 years from the competitive scene. Appointing experienced coach Marco Risso is surely a plus for a team that seems that he wants to leave his mark in the competition. The squad is based on a good number of players that had limited space in their respective teams, and are looking to boost their CV with Birżebbugia.

The game gave an indication of what was going to happen since the get going as both teams started changing the advantage every time a team went in front, with Birżebbugia scoring the first and last goal, in a session that finished 4-4.

Risso’s team started the second session as they started the first one, but Marsascala’s reaction resulted in three consecutive goals. Mora reduced the margin to a goal with the last goal of the session, and Simon Vassallo equalised in the third session. Both teams continued to respond after each goal and so, Marsascala kept their goal advantage.

Pierre Borg wanted his team to go for a last push and goals by Kyle Navarro and Duncan Cassar permitted them to go 11-9 in front. Birżebbugia reacted from Mora, scoring from a central position. This goal gave a new stimulus to Birżebbugia who applied their pressure on their opponents, but failed to score the goal that would at least give them a point.

Birżebbugia: D. Abela, M. Manara, S. Mora (3), D. Pace Lupi (1), A. Camenzuli, A. Sammut (1), S. Vassallo (3), N. Cassar, G. Farrugia, M. Caruana (1), K. Rizzo Naudi (1), O. Zammit, D. Spiteri

Marsaskala: K. Schembri, J.C. Cutajar (2), N. Cutajar, F. Borg, A. Vlahovic (6), L. Grixti, K. Navarro (1), J. Busuttil, S. Micallef (1), M. Agius, D. Cassar (1), M. Cutajar, B. Dougall

Referee: Luca Iacovelli, Ronnie Spiteri