Exiles eye second spot as they hand title to San Giljan
Exiles 7Ta' Xbiex 6(2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 1-3)\nIn a match which Exiles RMF had to win to entertain any hopes of at least clinching the runners-up position at the expense of their opponents, Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise, the team from Sliema reached their...
Exiles 7
Ta' Xbiex 6
(2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 1-3)
\nIn a match which Exiles RMF had to win to entertain any hopes of at least clinching the runners-up position at the expense of their opponents, Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise, the team from Sliema reached their objective to move to within a point of Charlie Mock's team.
But in so doing, Exiles handed the second division title to San Giljan, with the latter remaining bystanders.
While Ta' Xbiex seem to have lost much of their early impetus, the team piloted by Marco Manara picked up in terms of sharpness and tactical flair. This was evident yesterday.
Against Ta' Xbiex they banked on zone cover to outwit their opponents and most of the time they succeeded. Their lead hovered between two and three goals, thus keeping their opponents at an arm's length, even if Ta' Xbiex managed to cut the leeway to one goal with 33 seconds left.
Exiles were then able to administer possession till the end thus securing victory.
Exiles: A Grech, M. Grima, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi (1), T. Sullivan (1), K. Camilleri, M. Psaila, A. Arrigo (1), J.J. Tabone, S. Balzan (2), S. Borg (1), J. Vella (1), M. Calleja.
Ta' Xbiex: D. Debono, G. Attard, G. Stellini (1), K. Sciortino, C. D'Ugo (1), E. Pisani (1), J. Zammit (2), D. Schembri (1), T. Boyd, M. Xuereb, C. Xuereb, F. Testa, W. Privitera.
Refs: M. Caruana, A. DeRaffaele.
Marsaxlokk 5
ASA Youths 5
(2-2, 2-0, 0-1, 1-2)
Marsaxlokk Freeport and the ASA youths' selection shared ten goals in yesterday's first clash, a non-competitive one. The South Seasiders looked a better outfit against a selection team, once more deprived of a couple of important elements.
Marsaxlokk looked set for a win as they led 5-3 with only some minutes to go. They had always been in the lead, and that courtesy of the first three man-up sets which were all turned into goals.
But Anthony Farrugia's team, also exploiting their opponents' wasted opportunities on their last two extra-man situations, came back to level the score, with their last three goals coming from Andrea Bianchi, the final one from a lob 13 seconds from the end.
Marsaxlokk: R. Bonnici, R. Calleja (1), K. Incorvaja, C. Bugeja (1), C. Jones, S. Cutajar, A. Cassar, M. Fava (1), D. Cassar (1), G. Borg, G. Zammit (1).
ASA: R. Coleiro, S. Camilleri, G. Lubrano, C. Bonello, M. Meli, A. Bianchi (3), M. Brownrigg, J. Rizzo Naudi, M. Vella, S. Gravina (1), D. Paolella, M. Zammit (1), M. Borg, R. Attard.
Refs: A. Fenech, P. Balzan.