Saints no match for Blues

Sliema 20
(5-4, 7-4, 4-0, 4-3)
San Giljan 11

Spearheaded once again by goal-machine Tibor Benedek, who netted a total of seven goals, Sliema Burger King made short shrift of San Giljan Zara in a high-scoring match which had a lasting turning point in the second session when the Blues built a four-goal advantage.

Not that this lead was a reassuring one especially with the match only reaching midpoint. But, with the Blues' faster rate and more powerful collective fare, the stakes were too heavy on San Giljan staging a comeback.

They had done well until the opening session but even allowing for Marco Cuk's opportunism, the gap between the teams, especially the presence of Benedek, was too much for the Saints to contend with.

The rot for them started in the second session and from then on, they were submerged and a mere shadow of the team we saw the previous week against Neptunes.

They had taken the lead three times in the opening session but the Blues drew level every time before they nosed 5-4 ahead at the end of that quarter.

Marking alternated from press to double on the centre with zone cover rarely being resorted to, but the scoring rate was high. Sliema, with Ryan Coleiro in goal in lieu of the injured Josie Cachia, pressed the accelerator from the second session onward and Benedek's poker helped them take a 12-8 lead at the halfway mark.

It was now one-way traffic as the Blues increased their advantage with a further four goals, two of which from Edward Aquilina, scorer of a total of five.

The last session was only a formality with Marco Manara seeing his team ease off against opponents who had long thrown in the towel.

For the record, Benedek's seven-goal spree consolidated his lead at the top of the scorers' list, while youngster Jerome Gabaretta inserted his name for the first time among his team's scorers.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina 5, M. Rizzo 1, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella, T. Benedek 7, C. Debono 1, F. Cutajar, J. Gabaretta 1, A. Bianchi 2, J. Cachia.

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro, A. Galea 1, C. Bonello, I. Azzopardi, M. Zammit 3, M. Cuk 6, K. Schembri, G. Ghirxi, A. Borda, S. Borg 1, J. Xerri De Caro, K. Lanzon.

Refs: M. Ancilleri, A. Rovida.

Marsaxlokk 20
(6-2, 4-1, 3-1, 7-2)
Otters 6

Marsaxlokk Freeport had a very easy afternoon yesterday when they disposed of Otters to the tune of 20 goals to six. The man behind the southerners' success was again their chief goal-getter Sergei Frolov who had nine conversions to his credit, but equalling the individual record of Neptunes' Steve Camilleri.

However, the team also operated well collectively with the Gozitans unable to put in any cohesive play and far less effectiveness.

After going a goal behind early in the match, Marsaxlokk pressed the fast forward button and Frolov opened his account to spearhead his team to a 6-2 first session lead.

After that, he kept scoring with regularity as Otters collapsed completely. The scoring rate was maintained, with Marsaxlokk extending their winning margin to a staggering 14 goals when reaching the 20-goal mark.

Marsaxlokk: R. Bonnici, S. Cachia 2, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia, N. Kerr 1, C. Bugeja 2, E. Pisani 1, G. Lubrano 2, S. Frolov 9, F. Testa, D. Cassar, D. Debono, K. Grima Scott 3.

Otters: R. Grech, K. Mizzi, G. Zammit, S. Grech 2, P. Cachia 2, D. Saliba 2, P. Saliba, M. Toth, J.P. Buttigieg, S. Scicluna, D. Saliba, M. Tabone, E. Farrugia.

Refs: A. DeRaffaele, A. Farrugia.

Friday - 6 p.m. Ta' Xbiex vs Marsaxlokk; 7.15 p.m. Sirens vs San Giljan.

Saturday - 6 p.m. Otters vs Exiles; 7.15 p.m. Sliema vs Neptunes.