Marsascala recover but to no avail

Neptunes 7
Marsascala 7
(0-1, 4-1, 2-2, 1-3)

Marsascala Breakers again staged a recovery, this time not on such a grand scale as in their last match against Sirens, to share the honours with Neptunes Vodafone.

However, the point gained proved to be to no avail as the southseasiders' hitherto very slim hopes of winning the title have now been completely extinguished.

As has often been the case, the match picked up in the latter stages and ended on a crescendo as the result remained uncertain till the very end.

All in all, the outcome was a legitimate one. Marsascala started soundly, only to be overtaken by the Balluta Bay side in the second session, as the Reds stepped up a gear.

In the final quarters, exchanges were mostly balanced, with both teams showing an increasing disposition to go for press. Marsascala recovered only to go in front, with Neptunes finally saving their faces.

After an abortive opening two minutes, Paul Fava lobbed to give Marsascala the lead. The Reds' press, shifting to double on the centre, was countered by the south seasiders' 'semi-zone cover' and then to press. Neptunes lost their first set with a Marsascala player excluded. Generally their open play and build-ups looked ponderous and predictable. Pierre Borg's outfit looked a shade better by the end of a low-scoring first session.

Dirk Dowling introduced Malcolm Azzopardi in the second quarter for more speed. Edward Cachia, out on the left, picked his spot to level matters on a man-up. With Marsascala wasting their chance when Neptunes were a man less, John Brownrigg rounded the last man to give the Reds the lead.

Another similar opportunity was wasted by the south seasiders and they paid dearly for it as Neptunes' Cachia rounded off a fine passing movement for a 3-1 lead. Privitera reduced the gap on a man-up.

Lanzon restored the two-goal advantage which Neptunes maintained till the half-way mark. There was a marked improvement in their play during the second session.

Action ebbed and flowed, but it was largely pedestrian. Karl Galea wasted a chance to make it 5-2 and Darren Ciappara immediately rubbed the wound in for Neptunes to cut the deficit to 4-3. Galea levelled matters, as the Reds seemed to wilt.

Pisani dispossessed a hesitant Marsascala defender to break and convert. Neptunes got away with what looked like an illegal tackle in mid-pitch and the trailing Pisani completed the formalities to restore Neptunes' advantage to two goals with the last session left.

It was still finely balanced, though, especially after Privitera converted a man-up to make it 6-5 early in the final quarter. Marsascala then missed out on another man-up, as did Neptunes soon afterwards.

It was mostly press at this point, with the respective centres in for some hard time. With the tenacious but inexperienced Brownrigg excluded, Marsascala failed to profit. Lanzon lost a solo break at the other end, only for Mario Zammit to draw the teams level.

With 94 seconds left Xerri De Caro converted a man-up. A minute from time, Galea cashed in on the southerners' numerical disadvantage.

The last time-outs at each end in the final seconds proved fruitless.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon (1), S. Camilleri, K. Galea (1), E. Cachia (2), J. Brownrigg (1), S. Gravina, C. Zammit, Dav. Camilleri, M. Azzopardi, Dean Camilleri, M. Stellini, M. Pisani (2).

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, P. Fava (1), A. Galea (1), P. Privitera (2), C. Gialanze, J. Xerri De Caro (1), C. Mercieca, J. Cremona, K. Lanzon, J. Licari, M. Zammit (1), D. Ciappara (1), A. Tanti.

Refs: P. Balzan, F. Colantuoni.