NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS........11

SLIEMA FRANK SALT............11

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

A goal with the last shot of the game by Jordan Camilleri saved a point for Neptunes Leo Vegas as they finished in a draw against Sliema Frank Salt. As things stood, Sliema were the most disappointed team, but Neptunes will not be happy with the point as they lamented several times with the decisions taken by the referees.

This was the first draw of the campaign for both teams. Stevie Camilleri was again their main scorer and the most player involved, while Romain Blary was well marked. On the other hand, Guillermo Molina had a fine game as he brought the best in himself several times during with good positioning in defence and also some fine shots that caused trouble for Alan Borg Cole.

Two balanced sessions saw both teams going back and forth but Neptunes ended up with a one-goal lead after the second session. Neptunes had the upper-hand in the first minutes of the game, bu Sliema recovered and went in-front with a brace by Jerome Gabarretta, until Stevie Camilleri equalised. Neptunes regained their lead as Stevie Camilleri made it 5-4 and manage to hold the slender lead until the break.

Stevie Camilleri made it 7-5 in the beginning of the third session, but a reaction by Sliema resulted in two quick goals by Jerome Gabarretta and Zach Mizzi. Neptunes failed to produce a serious reaction, and unsurprisingly Sliema even took the lead from Molina and Gabarretta who came face to face with Borg Cole.

Things looked to be going Sliema's way after Molina made it 10-7 with a superb shot. But Neptunes stayed in the game with two quick goals from brothers Stevie and Jordan Camilleri. Jambie Gambin regained the two-goal cushion with a shot from the right, but Stevie Camilleri gave a life line to his team with 43 seconds left. Sliema lost possession, and Neptunes coach Maslovar called a time-out with a man-up. From that action, Jordan Camilleri scored from the rebound as the match ended.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon (1), T. Agius, K. Erdogan, R. Blary (1), S. Gravina, S. Camilleri (6), J. Camilleri (2), J. Abela (1), M. Zammit, M. Martellacci, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta (4), E. Aquilina, C. Cluett, G. Molina (5), K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines, L. Galea, J. Gambin (1), M. Meli, Z. Mizzi (1), R. Greco, Z. Sciberras

Referees: Peter Balzan, Massimo Calabro

SAN ĠILJAN TUM INVEST...17

EXILES JETFREIGHT..............9

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

Another routine win for new Champions San Ġiljan Tum Invest as they brushed aside Exiles Jetfreight with a commanding 17-9 win. As expected, a win was on the cards for the Saints and they made sure to clinch maximum points with a dominating first session that set the pace. Therefore, they are now one game away from winning the league with maximum points.

Aleksandar Ivovic didn't miss a beat with another deluxe performance scoring nine goals in the process while making things look so easy. Especially in the first part of the game, San Ġiljan were scoring goals with simple passing and positioning, and continuous rotation by coach Marko Orlovic.

Exiles were not at fault with the result, as the difference between both teams was evident and predicatable. But after, their opponents reduced their rhythm, Exiles had their say also trying to make the final score more respectable.

San Ġiljan were already five goals in front in the first session, with Aleksandar Ivovic scoring a hat-trick, along with goals from Dino Zammit and Andreas Galea while Slobodan Nikic scored in the dying seconds of the session.

Goals in the second session were grouped as San Ġiljan made the score even 7-1, but Xerri de Caro and Kurt Griscti reduced the gap, but Ivovic soon regained the six-goal advantage, until Sullivan scored for Exiles.

Having a comfortable lead, didn't stop San Ġiljan from keep pushing whilst trying new systems whilst the youngsters continued to have more minutes in the pitch. Ivovic continued to stand-out scoring another hat-trick to tally up to nine goals in the game. Exiles managed to at least win the last session thanks to three goals by Serbian Nikic and Sullivan.

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg, A. Galea (1), B. Grech, J. Galea (1), M. Zammit (1), B. Plumpton (1), Da. Zammit (1), A. Ivovic (9), A. Cousin, P. Fava, D. Zammit (2), T. Micallef

Exiles: M. Castillo, J. Rizzo Naudi, D. Borg Millo, M. Stellini, T. Sullivan (2), S. Xerri de Caro (1), S. Nikic (4), K. Griscti (2), N. Paris, L. Felice, B. Lanzon, J. Bajada, S. Galea Pace

Referees: Massimo Angileri, Federico Braghini

Otters stay in the hunt for second place

OTTERS NIVEA..................11

TA' XBIEX AMIGOS............8

(3-1), (1-2), (3-1), (6-4)

Otters Nivea won their fifth game of the league defeating bottom placed Ta' Xbiex Amigos 11-8 to continue their quest to finish second as they are now only a point under Marsaskala, with a game left.

Ta' Xbiex ended their commitments this season finishing last with five points. The team was the weakest during the season as the team was made up from several youngsters on loan and also at one point before the beginning of the season, there were doubts about their participation.

Their foreigner wasn't as strong as the others, but on the other hand, a club like Ta' Xbiex gives space to youngsters to express themselves, and like Mattias Ortoleva they flourish in a season amongst the seniors.

Otters were the better team during the game and deserved the win. The game was played with a low tempo and the Gozitan team always had the edge over their opponents. Ta' Xbiex lacked their foreigner's power as Adam Maklari didn't have a positive day contributing to a lot of mistakes and missed opportunities.

Otters won the first session 3-1 from Charlie Zammit, Edward Meli and Marko Jelaka but had to recover from a goal down after Adam Maklari opened the score. Ta' Xbiex managed to hold on and even won the second session to reduce the gap to a goal.

But Otters soon regained composure and scored three consecutive from Luke Hyzler and a brace by Marko Jelaka, with Mattias Ortoleva reducing the gap for Ta' Xbiex.

As things stood Otters, who were without their coach Erik Valter who was suspended, needed only to control the ball. In fact, after Ortoleva cancelled Borg Millo's goal, Jelaka's brace made the score 10-5 to close the affair. Both teams left several spaces but the gap stayed the same between both teams.

Otters: M. Xerri, M. Borg Millo (1), A. Magri, L. Hyzler (1), E. Meli (3), G. Mizzi, M. Jelaka (7), M. Paris, C. Zammit (1), M. Borg, C. Teuma, E. Vella

Ta' Xbiex: J. Micallef, M. Ortoleva (2), M. Camilleri, C. Farrugia, K. Mock, A. Maklari (2), E. Gravina (1), L. Saliba, M. Pullicino, R. Attard (3), M. Pace, L. Pace

Referees: Richard Magri, Massimo Calabro