SAN ĠILJAN JP PROJECTS BIRŻEBBUĠA FREEPORT - 18-8

(4‑4), (5‑2), (5‑2), (4‑0)

 

It was a difficult 48 hours for San Ġiljan. Following Wednesday’s win against Sliema, the club had to focus more on external affairs following the drama around Ben Plumpton’s alleged bite. The ASA Disciplinary Board decided that he was guilty of committing a grievous act of violence while after San Ġiljan appealed, on Friday the ASA Appeals Board further enhanced the suspension for a total of 12 games and he was also fined €1,270.

San Ġiljan coach Zeljko Kovacic had to not only play without Plumpton but also decided to rest goalkeeper Jake Tanti following his injury during the last game. Kovacic needed to re‐ group his team to focus on claiming another win. They had to work slightly more than expected to defeat Birżebbuġa Freeport.

The final score is not an indication of the game developed. Birżebbuġa were in the game till the first two sessions while San Ġiljan were committing several mistakes especially in front of goal. The champions had a one‐goal lead three times in the first session, but Ben Grech, Alberto Barroso and Max Aquilina responded on every occasion. Barroso even put Birżebbuġa in the lead, but Je‐ remy Abela reacted immedi‐ ately.

Birżebbuġa kept their slim lead midway through the second session until San Ġiljan started to take control of the game. They regained the lead in the latter stage of the session and captain Matthew Zammit scored twice to give his team a 9‐6 lead. What was most worrying for Birżebbuġa was that they had Spaniard Alberto Barroso fouled‐out.

Having to play against the champions for half of the match without their chief scorer proved to be too much for Birżebbuġa to stay in the game. Despite staying behind only 11‐ 8 behind till the middle of the third session, San Ġiljan had the control of the game and ascer‐ tain themselves of the win with a brace by Jeremy Abela and a goal by Jake Bonavia to start the last session with a comfortable six‐goal lead.

San Ġiljan had the possibility to widen the gap as they stretched the consecutive goals in the game to seven following goals by Darren Zammit, Rus‐ sell Caruana twice and Daniel Tully, a result that diminished the efforts by Birżebbuġa.

San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli, D. Tully (2), R. Caruana (2), A. Younger (2), M. Zammit (3), J. Bonavia (1), J. Abela (4), N. Z mmit (2), D. Zammit (2), N. Schiavone, G. Borg, G. Bonavia

Birżebbuġa: M. Sladden, M. Aquilina (3), N. Cassar, B. Grech (1), S. Bezzina, M. Manara, A. Barroso (2), M. Cassar, D. Far‐ rugia, M. Cutajar (1), M. Mannino, M. Curmi (1), S. Livori, D. Incorvaja

Referees: Alex de Raffaele, Antonio Torneo