A dramatic winner scored half-a-second from time by Neptunes Vodafone's ace scorer Steve Camilleri helped his team to win crucial championship points besides earning the Reds the President's Cup at the expense of Sirens Hard Rock Cafe.

It was a last-gasp victory for Neptunes who had led throughout but for the opening goal. However, they were forced to concede the equaliser after gaining two- and three-goal cushions during the match.

Zoning effectively and breaking sharply, Neptunes took a 4-1 lead by the end of the first quarter, during which Sirens had no answer to their opponents' faster swimming.

The northerners reacted in the subsequent session despite wasting two important man-up sets and, with Neptunes showing signs of bluntness, the St Paul's Bay team managed to level matters for a 4-4 scoreline at the half-way mark.

It was back to square one as the third session got underway. Two quick goals gave Neptunes a 6-4 lead, but a missed penalty by Ivan Milakovic, who will now hand the baton to Serb star Vladimir Vujasinovic, caused the Reds dear as Sirens soon made it 6-5 before levelling matters after Neptunes had missed a crucial man-up.

Another goal from Niki Lanzon gave the Balluta Bay team a 7-6 lead. However, Sirens equalised soon after the fourth session started. But Neptunes again nosed in front only for a ball-under-water decision denied Neptunes a possible eighth goal.

Sirens fought back to make it 8-8 on a man-up 49 seconds from time.

But with Neptunes regaining possession with six seconds to go, Sergio Afric called for a time-out and the ploy came up trumps as the prodigious Camilleri netted the winner on a quick free-throw shot at goal.

In the second game, also valid for the Sportswriters' Association Cup, Sliema McDonald's found their steam late in the game to get the better of San Giljan Zara, thus maintaining their perfect run in the Preliminary Round, besides also carrying off the prize at stake.

San Giljan, who did away with the services of Claudio Silvestri, were led from the bench by their ex-player Ian Azzopardi.

They put up some stiff resistance until late in the third session, but with Sliema still clinging to all their established players, the Blues' more potent play found no answer from the Saints in that last session.

Sliema led 4-2 after the first quarter and it remained fairly balanced well into the second session with only one goal separating the teams. Sliema led 5-4 before they made it 6-4 at the end of the second session.

Three goals from Sliema and two from San Giljan late in the third session opened a three-goal buffer for the Blues with the last session to go. But Sliema's strength and experience was beyond question now and with Tamas Varga, Jonathan Valletta and John Soler each fitting in four goals, they ran out easy winners.

Exiles Pender Gardens disposed of Otters ASC in the first match of the day. Although the Gozitan team offered some resistance in the first session, they could not last the pace and a six-goal blitz from Exiles in the second quarter put paid to Otters' hopes of at least running their opponents close.

Meanwhile, despite hopes for better communication between the ASA and the media, no line-ups were provided for the second and third matches yesterday. Thus, the team lists are only approximative.

Summaries...

Otters 6
Exiles 11
(1-2, 1-6, 1-3, 3-0)

Otters: R. Grech, D. Saliba, G. Zammit, S. Grech 3, S. Cutajar, D. Saliba, P. Saliba, F. Bajada, K. Mizzi, C. Saliba, T. Simon 3, C. Martin, E. Farrugia.

Exiles: A. Borg Cole, S. Vassallo, M. Zarb, D. Pace Lupi 3, A. Arrigo 2, S. Cini, J. Paris 1, J. Cremona 1, K. Griscti 1, A. Cousin 3, S. Aquilina, N. Imbroll, M. Calleja.

Refs: R. Spiteri, P. Giordano.

San Giljan 7
Sliema 15
(2-4, 2-2, 2-3, 1-6)

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

Sliema: J. Cachia, C. Gialanze, E. Aquilina 2, M. Rizzo 1, M. Meli, J. Soler 4, T. Varga 4, J. Valletta 4, C. Debono, F. Cutajar, A. Bianchi, R. Coleiro.

Refs: M. Caruana, I. Sciriha.

Neptunes 9
Sirens 8
(4-1, 0-3, 3-2, 2-2)

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

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

Refs: P. Balzan, A. DeRaffaele.