Neptunes, San Giljan maintain trend

The customary bagful of goals rifled in by the big guns against the minnows was only sketchily in evidence yesterday, especially in the first match as San Giljan Zara and Neptunes Vodafone posted easy victories over Marsascala 7-Up and Marsaxlokk Freeport respectively.

San Giljan, with ex-Neptunes player Edward Cachia in their ranks on a year-loan basis, took some time to put things right against Marsascala who, on the day, performed much better than they had done last Sunday.

As often happens, it was only in the third session that Claudio Silvestri's team pulled away decisively for a 10-3 advantage, after which they netted four more goals for a comfortable victory, Matthew Zammit being their chief goal-getter with five conversions.

It had not been so easy for the Saints in the first two sessions as the southseasiders were closing all gaps and giving their opponents little space for an effective pot at goal. But that fizzled out in the third session as San Giljan took control.

In the second match, Marsa-xlokk, the returning Sergei Frolov and all, had a mountain to climb to limit the adverse scoreline against Neptunes to respectable proportions.

As is typical of their game, Neptunes' menace came mostly from their breaks, with their trustful swimming ripping apart the opposing rearguard. Over-confidence when in front of goal and steady displays from goalkeepers Andrea Sammut and Reuben Bonnici made it less fruitful for the champions in scoring terms.

However, the goals for the Balluta Bay team always kept coming, the main source of danger for the southerners being Steve Camilleri and Ivan Milakovic.

San Giljan 14
Marsascala 4
(1-0, 3-1, 6-2, 4-1)

San Giljan: K. Schembri, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, A. Galea 2, C. Bonello, E. Cachia, M. Zammit 5, M. Cuk 2, J. Bonnici, M. Pace, D. Camilleri, S. Borg, J. Xerri de Caro 1, K. Lanzon 3.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, J.C. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Griscti, F. Valenti 2, J. Cachia, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, M. Spiteri, D. Ciappara 1.

Refs: P. Balzan, M. Dalli.

Neptunes 18
Marsaxlokk 3
(5-2, 4-0, 2-1, 7-0)

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 2, T. Agius, K. Galea 1, J. Brownrigg 2, I. Milakovic 4, S. Camilleri 6, L. Attard, D. Camilleri, S. Gravina, R. Sciortino, M. Stellini 3, M. Pisani.

Marsaxlokk: A. Sammut, G. Attard, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia, K. Farrugia, C. Bugeja, E. Pisani, D. Schembri, S. Frolov 2, K. Grima Scott, G. Ghirxi 1, G. Zammit, R. Bonnici.

Refs: M. Caruana, P. Giordano.

Next fixtures

Tomorrow: 5 p.m. Neptunes vs Otters; 6.15 p.m. Sirens vs Marsaxlokk.

Sunday: 4.30 p.m. San Giljan vs Ta' Xbiex; 5.45 p.m. Sliema vs Marsascala; 7 p.m. Sirens vs Exiles.