NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS........ 10

SLIEMA FRANK SALT............ 6

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

A hat-trick by Stevie Camilleri in the beginning of the third session proved to be decisive as Neptunes Leo Vegas defeated Sliema Frank Salt 10-6 to finish the second round on top and therefore head directly to the play-offs semi-final.

Sliema failed to react after going 6-5 down and only reduced the margin once in two sessions. Credit goes to the defence of Neptunes alongside goalkeeper Alan Borg Cole. Sergio Afric's team couldn't keep up their explosive first two sessions as they looked aggressive and determined.

Sliema responded on two different occasions after Stevie Camilleri and Petar Muslim gave Neptunes twice the lead. Nicholas Bugelli and Hungarian Norbert Hoznyansky scored for Sliema. Darko Brguljan put Neptunes again in front until a bold reaction by Sliema resulted in three splendid goals in less than three minutes. Gavril Subotic, Jerome Gabarretta and Hoznyansky scored as at that time Sliema looked that they can give Neptunes a tough ride.

Fortunately for Neptunes the break gave them some breathing space and Stevie Camilleri turned the course of the game with three goals in less than two minutes to give his team a 6-5 lead. The third goal showed his class scoring from an unusual position in the centre. Brguljan scored from man-up and after Jamie Gambin scored from a central position, Brguljan kept the two-goal cushion again from man-up.

Sliema were still in the game but lacked the necessary to flair to keep their hopes up. The goal by Petar Muslim in the middle of the last session practically ended the game as Nikolai Zammit sealed the win for another important win for Neptunes.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, K. Erdogan, G. Pace, P. Muslim (2), D. Brguljan (3), S. Camilleri (4), J. Camilleri, J. Abela, N. Zammit (1), J. Muscat, M. Azzopardi, B. Busuttil, S. Busuttil, J. Farrugia

Sliema: J. Parnis, J. Gabarretta (1), G. Subotic (1), J. Sciberras, M. Meli, N. Hoznyansky, M. Spiteri Staines, L. Galea, B. Cachia, J. Gambin, Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli, M. Vassallo, K. Borg, J. Cachia

Referees: Massimo Angileri, Domenico Rotondano

 

MARSASKALA FISH AND FISH.... 11     

TA' XBIEX AMIGOS.................... 10

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

Ta' Xbiex put in a brave performance but it wasn't enough for them to avoid defeat as Marsaskala Fish and Fish registered their third consecutive win in the league. The game could have gone either way but Marsaskala took advantage from a lack of concentration by Ta' Xbiex in some phases of the game.

Both teams ended the second session scoring six goals. A brace by Ayrton Camenzuli put Marsaskala 3-2 in the lead after Niccolo Gitto gave the lead to Ta' Xbiex twice. Giuseppe Dato's team went again in front and Gitto kept his team in the lead after Kristijan Milakovic equalised twice. Konstantin Averka made it 6-6.

Ta' Xbiex built an 8-6 advantage in the third session from Kacar and Sammut but Marsaskala pulled off a comeback and turned the game on its head thanks to goals by Kyle Navarro, Jean Claude Cutajar and Averka. Gitto equalised but Navarro and Averka scored twice in the last three minutes. Ta' Xbiex scored late in the game but failed to equalise in the last seconds.

Marsaskala: J. Micallef, J.C. Cutajar (1), A. Camenzuli (2), M. Manara, M. Aquilina, L. Grixti, K. Navarro (2), K. Milakovic (3), K. Averka (3), J. Culic, R. Attard, D. Borg Millo, A. Muscat

Ta' Xbiex: Z. Sciberras, R. Greco, M. Demarco, N. Schiavone, M. Carani, S. Azzopardi, D. Fenech, N. Saliba (2), N. Kacar (2), G. Sammut (1), K. Tanti, N. Gitto (5), A. Theuma, J. Saliba

Referees: Alex De Raffaele, Andrea Zedda