MARSAXLOKK BROWN’S... 11
SIRENS.............................. 18
(4-3), (1-4), (3-6), (3-5)
Marsaxlokk Brown’s showed that they are no pushovers and Sirens beat them just because they have better quality. Sirens stayed with maximum points from four games, having already the comfort of securing a place in Premier Division. Marsaxlokk are still in with a good chance of playing amongst the best six and play Barracudas in their final game of Group A.
Both teams exchanged the advantage twice in the first session. Sirens had a 2-1 advantage until Sasa Misic scored twice to give Marsaxlokk the lead. Matthew Chircop equalised 12 seconds from the end of the session, but Nikola Moskov scored immediately.
Sirens reacted in the beginning of the second session and regained the lead. Moskov responded immediately but despite Sirens missing two man-up situations, a brace by Matyas Pasztor in the last minute of the session gave Sirens an important 7-5 lead.
The lead for Marko Orlovic’s team got bigger midway through the third session. Consecutive goals by Gabriel Melillo, Pietro Figlioli and Matthew Chircop put Sirens in the driving seat with a comfortable 11-6 advantage.
Marsaxlokk still tried to stay in the game and a reduced the deficit to 13-10 in the opening moments of the last session. Their hopes were short-lived as Sirens scored twice to secure the win and then found the net another three times in the last two minutes and a half of the game to win by a bigger margin.
Marsaxlokk: M. Farrugia, C. Cutajar, A. Cook, M. Farrugia, N. Moskov (5), J. Valletta, M. Zammit (1), M. Aquilina, R. Galea (1), S. Misic (4), E. Bonnici, L. Mallia, M. Brimmer, G. Gatt
Sirens: T. Micallef, P. Serracino, K. Erdogan, P. Figlioli (2), J. Zerafa Gregory (1), G. Farrugia (2), M. Chircop (2), G. Melillo (2), M. Cutajar, M. Pasztor (7), M. Sciberras, M. Azzopardi, M. Bonello Dupuis, J. Cachia, G. Sammut (2)
Referees: Alex de Raffaele, Riccardo D’Antoni
VALLETTA IZIBET........... 15
OTTERS NIVEA.............. 11
(4-3), (7-3), (3-2), (1-3)
Valletta Izibet are now one win away from snatching a place in Premier Division after beating Otters Nivea 15-11. Now they are on level points with Birżebbuġa and will play them in the last game. Otters didn’t have a bad performance despite being on the losing side.
Valletta held a 2-1 lead in the first half of the session until Jovan Saric equalised immediately. Kieyan Borg and Ivan Nagaev gave Valletta a double lead, but veteran Mark Meli scored for Otters four seconds from the end of the session.
Otters were trying to keep up with their opponents, but Valletta started to consolidate their lead. First, they were 6-3 in front, then 8-4 and 11-5, a margin that was too much for Otters to recover.
Valletta won also the third session. They took advantage from two man-up situations and a penalty, all goals scored by Ivan Nagaev. The only consolation for Otters arrived in the last session as after Andrija Vlahovic’s goal, they scored three times to reduce the final margin to four goals.
Valletta: B. Busuttil, J. Spiteri Staines, D. Rizzo (1), J. Cassar, S. Busuttil (1), A. Vlahovic (2), D. Paolella (1), I. Nagaev (8), S. Micallef, A. Agius, K. Borg (2), K. Cremona, A. Theuma, M. Demarco, J. Chircop
Otters: M. Xerri, M. Bonnici, K. Scicluna (2), D. Dimech, M. Meli (1), M. Jelaca (2), I. Azzopardi, S. Dimech (1), J. Saric (4), M. Farrugia, A. Dimech, G. Gatt Ellis, K. Micallef, A. Bianchi (1)
Referees: Neville Mercieca, Matteo Giacchini
SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS... 22
EXILES WELBEE’S................ 9
(4-2), (4-4), (6-1), (8-2)
San Ġiljan JP Projects continued their winning streak, this time beating Exiles Welbee’s 22-9. Exiles kept the pace with their opponents for two sessions but then San Ġiljan built a comfortable lead and there was no way back for them.
A brace by Aaron Younger and goals from Matthew and Nikolai Zammit gave San Ġiljan a solid 4-0 lead after just half a session until Exiles pulled two goals back from Matteo Martellacci and a man-up scored by Max Aquilina.
San Ġiljan restored their four-goal advantage in the second session but Exiles made a reaction midway through the second session and cut San Ġiljan’s lead to 6-5. Jeremy Abela and Aaron Younger from a penalty gave some breathing space for the champions but Guillermo Molina responded for Exiles.
The turning point of the match happened in the third session as San Ġiljan dominated and secured the win. Nicholas Bugelli, Aaron Younger, Matthew Zammit, Ben Plumpton and Maro Jokovic were all on the scoresheet.
Starting the last session 14-7 in front made no difference for San Ġiljan as they used the last session to win by a bigger margin. Captain Matthew Zammit and the top scorer of the game Aaron Younger both scored twice.
San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli (1), K. Calleja, B. Plumpton (2), M. Jokovic (2), M. Zammit (5), J. Bonavia (2), A. Younger (6), J. Abela (2), N. Zammit (1), D. Zammit, R. Caruana (1), G. Borg, G. Bonavia, N. Bonavia
Exiles: M. Castillo, Z. Cutajar Licari, V. Gallo (3), G. Molina (1), S. Xerri de Caro, M. Fenech (1), K. Griscti, N. Paris, M. Martellacci (1), M. Aquilina (2), N. Saliba (1), F. Buhagiar,
Referees: Richard Magri, Matteo Giacchini
Preliminary Phase
Group A
P W D L F A Pts
San Ġiljan 4 4 0 0 90 38 12
Sirens 4 4 0 0 69 31 12
Marsaxlokk 4 1 1 2 43 63 4
Marsaskala 4 1 1 2 55 46 4
Exiles 4 1 0 3 42 57 3
Barracudas 4 0 0 4 30 94 0
Group B
P W D L F A Pts
Neptunes 4 4 0 0 76 25 12
Sliema 4 4 0 0 58 32 12
Birżebbuġa 4 2 0 2 52 49 6
Valletta 4 2 0 2 49 53 6
Ta’ Xbiex 4 0 0 4 32 67 0
Otters 4 0 0 4 27 68 0