Sirens Green Tube were brought down to earth with a bang when they suffered their first defeat of the season against Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate yesterday.
The Blues were decisively on song right from the outset to register a very comfortable 14-9 win.
The match had the imprint of seven-goal Gavril Subotic, author of great power play up front, and some fine teamwork from the Sliema side.
Sliema stormed to a 3-0 lead inside the opening eight minutes and had their opponents chasing the scoreline until the end.
In the second session, the northerners found their scoring touch and brought the gap to
5-4.
Sliema edged their opponents by the odd goal in seven in the third session during with Norbert Hoznyansky and Michael Spiteri Staines hanging on two exclusions.
Sirens kept chasing the scoreline with Christian Presciutti reaching his poker.
However, Subotic’s presence in the water prevailed in the end as it enabled the team guided by Sergio Afric to pull away and seal the match on 14-9.
San Ġiljan profited from Sirens’ slip-up against Sliema to go top of the table with a win over Marsaxlokk.
The indications were that San Ġiljan would overrun newcomers Marsaxlokk when they took 4-2 lead in the opening session.
But the southseasiders showed they will be no pushover in the Premier Division as San Ġiljan found the going tough and it was only in the last session that they made sure of the points.
Tactically, Marsaxlokk played wisely and their defence was good, blocking several shots as San Ġiljan were found wanting even in man-up situations.
Marsaxlokk came back strongly in the second period and Andrija Vlahovic (2) and Stephen Micallef were on the mark before Kai Dowling made it 9-5. Julian Rizzo Naudi shadowed mostly Dobud but found time to go upfront to score a beauty and level the second session 5-5.
Goals kept alternating in the third session as six goals were shared. The Saints realised they would get into trouble and in the last session restored some of their lost pride to put the issue beyond doubt when they finally regained the upperhand, thus making it more emphatic scoreline for them. Their top
goal-getter was Niksa Dobud with five goals.
SUMMARIES
MARSASKALA 17
VALLETTA 14
(4-3, 2-4, 4-3, 6-4)
Marsaskala: J. Micallef, JC. Cutajar, A. Camenzuli 2, M. Manara, M. Aquilina, L. Grixti 1, K. Navarro, K. Milakovic 3, K. Averka 7, J. Culic, R. Attard 3, D. Borg Millo 1, M. Borg.
Valletta
R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines 3, A. Agius, P. Borg, C. Zammit, R. Mock, D. Paolella, M, Mifsud 3, M, Cordina 1, M. Zammit, D. Kholod 5, N. Farrugia, R. Bonnici, S. Misic 2
Refs: Gianluca Centineo, Ronnie Spiteri.
SIRENS 9
SLIEMA 14
(0-3, 4-2, 3-4, 2-5)
Sirens: N.Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, C. Presciutti 4, P. Privitera 1, M. Grech, J. Brownrigg, I. Riolo 1, V. Gallo 3, J. Napier, E. Aquilina, L. Caruana, M. Sciberras, O. Gauci.
Sliema: P. Parnis, J, Gabarretta 2, G. Subotic 7, J, Sciberras, M, Meli, N. Hoznyansky M, Spiteri Staines 1, L. Galea, B, Cachia 1, J, Gambin, Z. Mizzi 1, N, Bugelli 2, M. Vassallo
Refs: Massimo Angileri, Giuseppe Fusco.
SAN ĠILJAN 18
MARSAXLOKK 12
(4-2, 5-5, 3-3, 6-2)
SAN ĠILJAN: J. Tanti, B. Tanti, A. Galea 3, N. Dobud 5, G. Molina 2, M. Molina 2, M. Zammit 3, B. Plumpton, K. Dowling 1, T. Said, D. Zammit, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit 2, T. Micallef, J. Bonavia 1.
marsaxlokk: R. Coleiro, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, L. Calleja, M. Martellacci, T. Agius 3, J. Galea, A. Vlahovic 2, I. Nagaev 2, S. Micallef 1, R. Scerri 1, M. Cacici, O. Zammit, L. Saliba, M. Pace 1.
Refs: Neville Mercieca, Gianluca Centineo.