Sliema produced a great turnaround to a game which looked to be developing on tight lines.
The Blues upstaged neighbours Exiles in the third session when they netted no fewer than 10 times without reply to turn a 6-3 deficit into a 13-6 lead, thus sealing victory.
This was a late super performance from Sliema which froze Exiles into total submission as the two teams locked horns in what was anticipated to be a keen duel in these preliminary rounds.
Exiles looked on course to open their national championship commitments on a high as they led neighbours Sliema 6-3 after the opening two sessions.
Exiles looked sharper and fully deserved their lead before the change of ends. But all that changed in the next quarter.
In fact, a disastrous performance in the last two sessions threw Igor Vukanovic’s men into disarray as they let in 11 goals which condemned them to a defeat in their first match in the National Championship.
Neptunes extended their pristine start to the season with another breezing victory, this time over Ta’ Xbiex.
The gap in class between the teams was evident from the very beginning with the Reds taking a seven-goal lead in the opening session.
However, once Neptunes broke loose in that opening session, the frequency of their conversions waned especially after the change of ends.
By then, Ta’ Xbiex realised that their priority could only be that of damage control, curtailing the menace of Stevie Camilleri, Petar Muslim and Darko Brguljan, scorers of the bulk of their team’s goals.
The advantage was extended to nine goals at the start of the third session. But at least Ta’ Xbiex had broken their duck courtesy of Nenad Kacar.
Neptunes’ turnover was evident in the last sessions but when Stevie Camilleri was in the water, Ta’ Xbiex could not escape punishment.
In the first match, Ivan Nagaev masterminded Marsaxlokk’s unexpected victory over Valletta with an unprecedented 13-goal haul.
Valletta collapsed after keeping abreast with their opponents in the opening session on 4-4. The Nagaev show was minimally aided by Andrija Vlahovic who grabbed a poker.
SUMMARIES
MARSAXLOKK 21
VALLETTA 16
(4-4, 7-5, 6-3, 4-4)
MARSAXLOKK: R. Coleiro, J. Rizzo, Naudi, L. Calleja, M. Rizzo 1, T. Agius, J. Galea, A. Vlahovic 4, I. Nagaev 13, S. Micallef, L. Saliba, M. Cacici, O. Zammit, F. Buhagiar, M. Pace 1, K. Galea 2.
VALLETTA: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines 1, A. Agius, P. Borg, N. Farrugia 1, R. Mock, D. Paolella, M. Mifsud 4, M. Cordina 1, D. Kholod 6, A. Bianchi, R. Bonnici, S. Misic 3.
SLIEMA FRANK SALT 14
EXILES ELIA CATER 7
(2-3, 1-3, 6-0, 5-1)
SLIEMA: J. Parnis, J. Gabarretta 3, G. Subotic 3, J. Sciberras, M. Meli 1, N. Hoznyansky 3, M. Spiteri Staines 2, L. Galea, B. Cachia, J. Gambin, Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli 2, M. Vassallo.
EXILES: M. Castillo, M. Stellini, A. Magri, M. Jelaca 3, T. Sullivan 1, S. Xerri de Caro, M. Fenech 2, K. Griscti, M. Vukicevic 1, A. Cousin, N. Paris, P. Paris, M. Martin.
Refs: Massimo Angileri, Andrea Baretta.
NEPTUNES LEO VEGAS 21
TA’ XBIEX AMIGOS 4
(7-0, 3-1, 5-3, 6-0)
NEPTUNES: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon, K. Erdogan 1, G. Pace, P. Muslim 2, D. Brguljan 2, S. Camilleri 9, J. Camilleri 2, J. Abela, N. Zammit 2, J. Muscat 2, M. Azzopardi, B. Busuttil, S. Busuttil 1.
TA’ XBIEX: Z. Sciberras, M. De Marco, M. Carani, G. Blundell, D. Fenech, N. Saliba, N. Kacar 3, S. Azzopardi, K. Tanti 1, N. Gitto, A. Theuma.
Refs: Mario Dalli, Massimo Calabro.