SLIEMA FRANK SALT........10

VALLETTA UNITED...........11

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

After the second round’s game and the current form of Sliema, the prediction might have indicated a close affair between two teams who will face each other again next week in the knock-out. But few would have imagined that Valletta would manage to defeat Sliema, to record their first of the league.

A win that arrived after a good start and a positive attitude by the players of Valletta who even stayed in the game when things didn’t looked to be going their way. Boris Vapenski led his team in the water as he not only scoring six goals, but dictated his team-mates especially in defence. This win was also the first one in a good number of years for Valletta against Sliema or any other top team.

Sliema’s demise continued as now they have lost to every team in the league, and could risk also the third place. The team might have a handful of young players, but the team’s cohesion is not there. Guillermo Molina who is the most experienced player in his team, gave balance in some moments, not only by scoring five goals, but even with his performance, and proved to be their best player. But when Valletta were pressing sometimes with double marking outside the five, six metre, Sliema had no options, Molina couldn’t do anything by himself, and Sliema failed to control the game.

What is certain is that things in the Sliema camp aren’t smooth and the players, coach and even the committee have to pull the strings together.

Sliema had to follow Valletta in the first part of the game as they ended the session 3-3, recovering three times from a hat-trick by Serbian left-hander Boris Vapenski. Sliema were better in the second period and after they took the lead from Zach Mizzi, they were controlling the game and deservedly went three-goals in front after a brace by Guillermo Molina. Mark Fenech reduced the gap with the last shot before the break.

(Photos Domenic Aquilina)

Bogdan Rath’s team were still in the lead as like the first session, Valletta were scoring first, but Sliema scored again in two occasions, and thanks to Michael Spiteri Staines had again a three-goal advantage. This lead seemed to be enough for Sliema to control, but they started the session on the wrong foot as they gave their opponents the initiative, and halfway through the last period, they lost their advantage, as Valletta scored three times.

Valletta were on a high and they even managed to score what had to be the winning goal with a fine lob from distance by James Spiteri Staines that beat Sliema’s goalkeeper Ryan Coleiro.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta, E. Aquilina, C. Cluett, G. Molina (5), K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines (1), B. Cachia, J. Gambin (1), M. Meli, Z. Mizzi (2), N. Bugelli (1), Z. Sciberras

Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines (1), A. Agius (1), M. Rizzo, M. Fenech (1), R. Mock (1), D. Paolella, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina (1), B. Vapenski (6), K. Galea, D. Fenech, A. Mifsud

Referees: Alex De Raffaele, Giuseppe Di Fusco

Ta’ Xbiex hold Birżebbuġa

BIRŻEBBUĠA..................6

TA’ XBIEX AMIGOS.........6

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

Ta’ Xbiex Amigos grabbed an important point as they managed to hold Birżebbuġa in a 6-6 draw. Marco Risso’s team are now level with Otters in third place with 11 points and might feel to have lost two points considering that they entered the game as favourites.

But the draw was a deserved result for Ta’ Xbiex as they shared the game with their opponents and even were in front for a good period in the game. Youngster Mattias Ortoleva continued to shine with a hat-trick while Hungarian Adam Maklari who substituted Spaniard Balasz Sziranyi also scored three goals for his team.

Birżebbuġa had to recover from two goals down after Maklari and Ortoleva gave a two-goal lead for Keith Grima Scott’s, but Ortoleva scored again. Marco Risso’s team had to work again to at least equalise, but it took them till the third session to equalise with a brace by Mora.

The Spaniard had to save his team again after scoring to make the score 5-5 reacting after Maklari’s goal. David Pace Lupi gave Birżebbuġa the upper hand for the first time, but Ortoleva slotted past reserve goalkeeper Daniel Spiteri with a low shot to save his team a point.

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

Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, A. Maklari (3), M. Camilleri, C. Farrugia, K. Mock, M. Ortoleva (3), L. Saliba, E. Gravina, M. Pullicino, R. Attard, M. Pace, L. Pace

Referees: Peter Balzan, Paola Bensaia