Neptunes edge Sirens in titanic battle

Sirens 10
Neptunes 11
(1-3, 2-2, 4-3, 3-3)

Neptunes and Sirens regaled the crowd with a palpitating match which finally went the way of the Balluta team. The clash was the best so far with both teams doing their utmost to outwit each other.

Niki Lanzon for Neptunes and David Cutajar for Sirens were the pick of the lot with each netting four goals.

Neptunes' zone posed serious problems for the St Paul's Bay team. Moreover, the opportunism of Lanzon and the almost perfect combination of the Reds had Sirens in trouble. Neptunes were already three goals up before Cutajar converted a man-up on a shot off a cross-pass.

In the second quarter Stellini opened the three-goal gap, but Cutajar netted on his team's second extra-man set. Sirens were playing on Cutajar's first-time shots from the left when they had numerical advantage and it was this player who closed the gap to 4-3. But Zammit scored his second goal to restore Neptunes' lead to two goals at the halfway mark.

Sirens lost the first man-up opportunity after Lanzon had made it 6-3 early in the third quarter. Montfort soon reduced the gap to 6-4.

The excitement was brewing up as Neptunes' edge started its downward slide. Privitera's goal reduced the gap but Malcolm Azzopardi made it 7-5. Conversions from Cauchi and Valletta levelled the scoreline before Zammit again nosed the Reds ahead.

Everything was to be played for in the final session. Lanzon's excellent goal made it 9-7. Licari scored to restore the three-goal advantage with just over five minutes to go.

Cutajar closed the gap to 10-8. Licari's inclusion was reaping dividends as he made it 11-8. Valletta pulled another goal back.

Neptunes' players were being dismissed with monotonous regularity. Sirens won a penalty amid dissent from the Balluta team. Only 62 seconds remained with Neptunes again winning possession and calling for a time-out to retain the ball. It was Cofino's turn to demand a time-out five seconds from the end.

It was a mistake call as Farrugia was unmarked inside the four-metre area. That was to no avail... Neptunes had won a titanic struggle.

Sirens: J. Caruana Dingli, C. De Barro, N. Imbroll, P. Privitera (1), C. Cauchi (1), J. Valletta (3), J. Borg, D. Cutajar (4), K. Montfort (1), W. Degiorgio, A. Farrugia, J. Farrugia, N. Cassar.

Neptunes: A. Cachia, N. Lanzon (4), K. Grima Scott, K. Galea, E. Cachia, D. Camilleri, J. Licari (2), C. Zammit (3), N. Gouder, M. Azzopardi (1), I. Azzopardi, M. Stellini (1), M. Pisani.

Refs: M. Dalli, M. Ancilleri.

Sliema 5
Marsascala 7
(2-3, 0-2, 0-2, 3-0)

The improvement shown by Marsascala in recent matches came to fruition yesterday when they pulled all their tactical strings in perfect unison to send Sliema reeling.

It was a strategic triumph for Pierre Borg and his speedy merchants, who closed all avenues for the otherwise out-of-sorts Sliema team and in the process snap up most of their man-up opportunities (three on four) to open what turned out to be an unassailable five-goal advantage by the three-quarter mark.

It was a collective effort although special mention must go to Clint Mercieca, Darren Ciappara, Ian Bugeja and Christian Gialanze.

Although the Blues drew first blood, Marsascala seemed to be the perkier side in the opening session. They broke several times and inside the first five minutes, took a 3-1 lead.

Sliema were unable to carve a gap for a shot, but they managed to convert a second man-up from three occasions to close the gap before the session closed.

The south seasiders maintained their grip on the game in the second session. Their press around the four-metre zone always had Sliema in a tangle. When in possession Borg's team looked the more dangerous and two more goals from their ace scorers Ciappara and Mercieca helped them more further away on a 5-2 scoreline before the teams changed sides.

With the Blues missing yet another extra-man set, their fourth from six, Marsascala made it a three on three reading after Mercieca converted to make it 6-2. In the meantime John Xerri De Caro had been fouled out.

Tactically, Marsascala were flawless, while Sliema kept messing up their man-ups as well as their possession period. Another goal from Cremona gave Marsascala a 7-2 lead at the end of the third session.

It was an uphill struggle for the inept Sliema. They had no option but to go for press in order to deny their opponents the opportunity to play out their possession period.

Goals from Soler (two) and Paris late in the last session were not enough for Sliema. Marsascala were worthy winners.

Sliema: J. Cachia, N. Falzon, M. Manara, M. Galea Pace, P. Cachia, J. Soler (3), J. Paris (2), K. Engerer, C. Debono, F. Cutajar, K. Schembri, I. Muscat, E. Aquilina.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, P. Fava, A. Galea (1), A. Farrugia, C. Gialanze, J. Xerri De Caro, C. Mercieca (3), J. Cremona (1), Micallef, Cutajar, Borg, M. Zammit, D. Ciappara (2).

Refs: I. Sciriha, P. Balzan.

Dowling selects squad

National coach, Dirk Dowling, yesterday announced his final list of 13 players for the European B Championships in Stockholm between August 16 and 24.

The squad: J. Cachia, J. Caruana Dingli, N. Cassar, F. Cutajar, N. Lanzon, K. Montfort, J. Paris, M. Pisani, P. Privitera, J. Soler, M. Stellini, J. Valletta, C. Zammit.