Victories go as expected for top guns

Victories in yesterday's three matches went as expected to keep the top teams firmly in charge.

In the opening encounter, San Giljan Zara were too powerful for Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise, an imbalance which was reflected in the final scoreline.

Ta' Xbiex, whose foreign player has yet to make a start, were short of the speed and strength required to render the match a competitive one. They were already six goals adrift inside the opening session as the Saints started pushing on relentlessly, with Marco Cuk eventually netting five goals.

As was anticipated, any remote semblance of a contest was never in the fray and Ta' Xbiex only pinned their hopes of avoiding a heavy defeat.

Sliema McDonald's had to wait almost two full sessions before they took off decisively against Marsascala 7-Up in the second match.

The southerners put up some stiff resistance in those early quarters and shared the score on eight goals apiece at one moment.

However, the Blues' initial edginess turned into effective driving and shooting, especially in the latter sessions with Edward Aquilina, John Soler, Tomas Varga and later Jerome Gabaretta distinguishing themselves in the execution phase.

It was evident that the generous Marsascala team had run out of steam against their thoroughbred opponents. At least, Marsascala, for whom Fabio Valenti and the promising Mark Borg Spiteri each scored a hat-trick, never stopped playing positive waterpolo.

Sirens Hard Rock Cafe completed the formalities in the last match when they dismissed Exiles Pender Gardens who started off well but had to throw in the towel as the game unfolded.

Dirk Dowling, as usual piloting Exiles from the bench, had generously opted to go for positive fare, but the verdict in Sirens' favour was a foregone conclusion, although Exiles never stopped trying.

Five goals for Sirens in the second quarter opened the way for their victory which had as its basis, especially in the middle sessions, strong swimming and shooting. However, they grew clumsy at the end and lost the last session 5-1.

San Giljan 15
Ta' Xbiex 4
(6-0, 3-0, 4-2, 2-2)

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

Ta' Xbiex: A. Tanti, S. Meli, M. Manara, M. Galea Pace, K. D'Ugo, K. Sciortino, M. Camilleri, A. Bianchi, W. Privitera, C. Sciortino 3, J. Vella, D. Pisani 1.

Refs: M. Caruana, P. Balzan.

Sliema 19
Marsascala 9
(3-3, 4-2, 7-2, 5-2)

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze 1, E. Aquilina 4, M. Rizzo 2, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 3, T. Varga 3, D. Paolella 1, C. Debono 1, F. Cutajar, J. Gabaretta 3, J. Spiteri Staines, R. Coleiro.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, J.C. Cutajar, S. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 3, L. Grixti, F. Valenti 3, S. Micallef 1, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, M. Spiteri 1, D. Ciappara 1.

Refs: P. Balzan, P. Giordano.

Sirens 15
Exiles 9
(3-3, 5-0, 6-1, 1-5)

Sirens: A. Grech, P. Fava 1, K. Rizzo Naudi, P. Privitera 2, J. Rizzo Naudi, R. Scerri, J. Borg 2, D. Cutajar 1, K. Montfort 2, C. Zammit 3, C. Mercieca, Z. Varga 4, J. Sammut.

Exiles: N. Imbroll, M. Grima, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi 2, S. Aquilina, S. Cini, J. Paris 4, J. Cremona, K. Griscti, A. Cousin 3, A. Arrigo, M. Calleja, A. Borg Cole.

Refs: A. DeRaffaele, R. Spiteri.

Wednesday: 6 p.m. Sirens vs Marsascala; 7.15 p.m. Neptunes vs Ta' Xbiex.

Thursday: 6 p.m. San Giljan vs Exiles; 7.15 p.m. Sliema vs Otters.