NEPTUNES VIDEOSLOTS... 10

SIRENS MECCA MARINE.... 9

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

 

Champions Neptunes Videoslots kept their perfect record in the BOV Premier League just two games before the start of the play-offs and just three days before the direct encounter against Sliema. A win is a win but Neptunes had to sweat to claim the three points.

Sirens were unfortunate to end on the losing side after a brave effort. Just a week ago, they were a stern opposition to San Ġiljan and this time, they pushed Neptunes to the limit for the second time this season.

The team under the guidance of the brave Serbian Marko Orlovic is improving from game to game but now they have to make another step and start to snatch some points in these games with these kind of performances.

Sirens started on a high, scoring twice from Matthew Sciberras and Matthias Azzopardi in the opening minutes. Sam Gialanze pulled one back from man-up until Azzopardi made it 3-1 also from man-up. But Neptunes managed cut the deficit till the end of the first session.

Neptunes had to respond twice during the second session to deny Sirens the lead. Jake Muscat responded to the goal of Sciberras and Stevie Camilleri replied to Azzopardi’s third personal goal.

Both teams kept going back and forth during the third session. Jacob Sciberras kept Sirens in front and a minute later Stevie Camilleri equalised again. In the last two minutes of the session, Jake Muscat converted successfully two man-ups to give his team the lead for the first time.

Camilleri scored his third of the game to give Neptunes a 9-6 lead. Many thought that it was the beginning of the end for Sirens but Orlovic’s team kept fighting and clawed two goals back from left hander Isaiah Riolo.

It was all to play for with less than three minutes till the end of the match. Sirens failed to score the important goal and Muscat scored from penalty to make it 10-8. Jerome Zerafa Gregory kept Sirens in the game till the last second with a goal in the next action. During the last moments, Sirens also had a chance to equalised but they lost possession, with Sirens protesting for a foul.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, J. Muscat (5), S. Gialanze (1), G. Pace, J. Cachia, J. Spiteri Staines, S. Camilleri (3), J. Camilleri, J. Abela, M. Spiteri Staines, A. Fenech (1), M. Castillo, M. Rossi, M. Farrugia

Sirens: T. Micallef, P. Serracino, K. Erdogan, J. Sciberras (1), J. Zerafa Gregory (1), G. Farrugia, M. Chircop, I. Riolo (2), J. Napier, M. Cutajar, M. Sciberras (2), M. Azzopardi (3), M. Bonello Dupuis, G. Melillo, K. Agius

Referees: Fabio Riciotti, Alex de Raffaele

 

SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS... 15

EXILES................................. 6

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

 

The winning streak for San Ġiljan has been extended to four games. In a similar match to Sliema’s win on Tuesday, San Ġiljan JP Projects proved to be too powerful for Exiles, a team who is still in search of points in the Premier Division.

San Ġiljan had their best possible start to the game as they scored twice in the first minute of the game through Ben Plumpton and Peter Borg. They even created a comfortable five-goal cushion and at that moment, things weren’t looking good for Exiles.

But Aurelien Cousin’s side tried to fight their way back in the game and clawed three goals back between the end of the first session and the beginning of the second session. The brave effort by Exiles only proved to be a wake-up call for San Ġiljan as they scored four consecutive goals to open up again a comfortable advantage.

The win was in the bag for Kovacic’s side but the Croatian still wanted more from his team. The rhythm of the game didn’t help his team to up their performance despite staying in control.

Ben Plumpton and Nikolai Zammit scored for an 11-3 gap until Timmy Sullivan and Mark Fenech responded. Andreas Galea made sure that San Ġiljan win also the third session. To round off the win in the last session, Russell Caruana scored a brace alongside a goal by Nikolai Zammit

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg (1), A. Galea (2), N. Schiavone, R. Caruana (2), M. Zammit, B. Plumpton (5), D. Tully, J. Bonavia, N. Zammit (4), D. Zammit, N. Bugelli, G. Vassallo, M. Ortoleva (1), D. Fero

Exiles: M. Castillo, N. Saliba, L. Gialanze, P. Paris, T. Sullivan (1), S. Xerri de Caro, M. Fenech (1), K. Griscti (2), N. Paris, J. Bajada (1), M. Aquilina, D. Fenech, G. Borg, M. Martellacci (1), L. Pursehouse

Referees: Pasquale Rogondino, Stefan Licari

 

BOV FIRST DIVISION

VALLETTA IZIBET............. 11

M’XLOKK BROWN’S......... 7

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

 

Valletta: B. Busuttil, N. Farrugia (1), T. Said, L. Hyzler (1), S. Busuttil (2), Z. Micallef (1), D. Paolella (1), M. Mifsud (1), S. Micallef (1), A. Agius (1), M. Pace, K. Cremona, A. Bugeja, L. Felice (2), R. Attard

Marsaxlokk: S. Mifsud, R. Spiteri, C. Cutajar, G. Gatt, T. Agius, D. Bugeja, M. Zammit (1), L. Mallia (1), L. Saliba (1), R. Galea (2), S. Mifsud, E. Mallia (1), M. Farrugia, A. Cook, R. Scerri

Referees: Fabio Riciotti, Neville Mercieca