Top four continue to dominate

True to expectation, the fancied teams of Sliema Burger King, Neptunes Vodafone, Sirens Go Mobile and Marsascala Breakers all registered easy victories over inferior opponents yesterday.

Most of the top sides are using the Winter League to give some much-needed experience to the younger players in their ranks, something they can ill-afford to do when the action hots up in the summer league.

In the first match, Sirens took some time to cut loose against Marsaxlokk. In fact, midway through the second session, the south-seasiders were still very much in the game. But again, as so usually happens is such encounters, the stronger side steps up a gear and cruises to victory.

Another notable diversity between these two sides was that while Marsaxlokk visibly tired out in the last session, the team from St Paul's Bay played their most effective waterpolo towards the end.

It was not that easy for Sliema who seemed devoid of ideas when faced by Exiles. Despite banking on thinner resources, Marco Manara's team showed cohesion and a commendable level of tactical organisation.

Trailing Sliema 5-2 at the end of the first session, Exiles came back strongly, getting to within one goal of their opponents, 6-5, at the end of the third session.

Sliema's experience came in handy when it mattered most as they pulled away after taking the last session 5-1 for an 11-6 victory.

It was a much easier outing for Marsascala who were superior to Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise in practically all sessions, bar the third, when the first division outfit changed practically all their manjack.

Ta' Xbiex, led by Aldo Scerri, were out of their depth and emerged from the water on the wrong end of another massive scoreline.

In the last match on yesterday's card, Neptunes easily disposed of their neighbours San Giljan to the tune of 16 goals to three.

The Saints have some experienced players in their line-up but the likes of Patrick Cachia, Ian Azzopardi and Chris Bonello cannot be expected to carry the team's burden by themselves, given their veteran age.

Neptunes' fast swimmers had a field day, scoring goals at will... they could have also won by a bigger margin had they played more as a team.

Yesterday's summaries

Sirens 10
(2-0, 1-1, 2-0, 5-1)
Marsaxlokk 2

Sirens: J. Caruana Dingli, M. Vella, J. Rizzo Naudi, M. Zammit, C. Cauchi (1), J. Valletta (3), J. Borg, D. Cutajar (1), K. Montfort (2), W. Degiorgio (2), R. D'Amato, J. Farrugia, N. Cassar (1) , N. Imbroll.

Marsaxlokk: R. Bonnici, S. Cachia (1), R. Calleja, K. Incorvaja, N. Kerr, C. Bugeja, R. Cutajar, M. Fava, G. Ghirxi, C. Enriquez, D. Cassar (1), L. Cachia, A. Privitera.

Refs: I. Sciriha, P. Balzan.

Sliema 11
(5-2, 1-1, 0-2, 5-1)
Exiles 6

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J.J. Tabone, E. Aquilina (3), D. Paolella, M. Meli, J. Soler (2), J. Paris (2), K. Engerer (1), C. Debono, F. Cutajar (2), G. Lubrano, I. Muscat (1), A. Bianchi, R. Coleiro.

Exiles: A. Grech, M. Grima, M. Zarb (1), D. Pace Lupi (1), J. Cuschieri, K. Camilleri, A. Arrigo, J. Cremona, D. Sullivan, S. Decesare, K. Rizzo Naudi, J. Vella (3), M. Calleja (1).

Refs: I. Sciriha, M. Dalli.

Ta' Xbiex 6
(0-4, 1-5, 3-3, 2-5)
Marsascala 17

Ta' Xbiex: C. Sciortino, D. Debono, E. Pisani, K. Sciortino (2), C. D'Ugo, P. Paolella (1), J. Zammit (1), D. Schembri, T. Boyd, S. Balzan (1), T. Zammit, F. Testa (1), P. Dimech.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, C. Spiteri DeBarro (4), A. Galea (1), P. Privitera (2), C. Gialanze (1), J. Xerri de Caro (1), J. Licari (1), L. Grixti (3), S. Micallef (1), K. Lanzon, P. Fava, M. Borg (1), D. Ciappara (2), S. Farrugia.

Refs: M. Angileri, A. De Raffaele.

San Giljan 3
(1-3, 0-4, 2-5, 0-4)
Neptunes 16

San Giljan: K. Schembri, K. D'Ugo, S. Mercieca, C. Bonello, P. Cachia (1), M. Zammit (2), I. Azzopardi, I. Camilleri, G. Farrugia, A. Borda, M. Pace, K. Grima Scott, A. Borda, J. Spiteri.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon (5), S. Camilleri (1), K. Galea, E. Cachia (3), J. Brownrigg (1), A. Galea, C. Zammit (3), D. Camilleri (1), M. Azzopardi, M. Stellini (1), S. Gravina (1).

Refs: M. Caruana, M. Angileri.