Early flurry boosts Sirens as Saints scrape past Ta' Xbiex

Sirens 13
Exiles 8
(5-1, 3-2, 2-1, 3-4)

Sirens Centro Casalinga chalked up their second victory in the BOV League preliminary round yesterday. The St Paul's Bay side practically made sure of the two points thanks to a strong performance in the opening session by the end of which they led Exiles Elle-et-Vire by five goals to one.

Exiles had given champions Neptunes Vodafone a hard time in their previous game but this time, they were unable to match the strong swimming of Sirens early on.

Exiles did raise their game as the minutes ticked away with Aurelien Cousin leading the charge. The Frenchman not only weighed in with four goals but excelled in the playmaker's role for Joe Caruana Dingli's team.

After an early Sirens flurry saw them taking a decisive four-goal lead, the match was evenly balanced thereafter. Both sides adopted zone-covering tactics and rarely resorted to man-to-man marking.

The record in man-up situations was poor at both ends. Sirens netted twice from six occasions, the same tally as Exiles who also had six man-up situations in favour.

For Sirens, Hungarian duo Babay and Barany had a satisfactory outing but it was Cousin, of France, who stole the limelight with a couple of well-taken goals.

Sirens
A. Grech, R. Mock, T. Galea 2, P. Privitera 1, A. Babay 3, A. Barany 3, J. Borg, D. Cutajar 3, A. Attard, R. Scerri, C. Mercieca 1, P. Borg, J. Sammut.

Exiles
A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, A. Arrigo, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, R. Blari 1, M. Rizzo 1, K. Griscti, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin 4, K. Enriquez, S. Vassallo, M. Calleja, A. Cachia, S. Cini.

Referees: M. Dalli, I. Sciriha.

San Ġiljan 13
Ta' Xbiex 11
(2-2, 4-3, 3-1, 4-5)

In yesterday's second match, San Ġiljan Tropicana Juices had to fight hard to dismiss the stiff challenge of a Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise side bolstered by the inclusion of two foreign players.

Roman Polacik and Jean Surim, both from Slovakia, made a significant contribution to an improved Ta' Xbiex performance after the latter lost heavily to Sirens in their opening match.

However, all things considered, San Ġiljan were worth their victory as they were always in the lead.

Serbian Vladimir Kreckovic came to the fore for San Ġiljan with two goals from difficult angles in the latter stages of the match when Ta' Xbiex were threatening to make a comeback.

On this evidence, San Ġiljan and Ta' Xbiex will be optimistic of giving a good account of themselves in the BOV League, even when facing more-quoted sides.

Playing today: 5.15 p.m. Marsascala vs Neptunes; 6.30 p.m. Sliema vs Marsaxlokk.

San Ġiljan
D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, R. Gospodinov 3, E. Arrigo, A. Bianchi 3, M. Zammit 2, M. Pace, V. Kreckovic 3, K. Grech, A. Borda, P. Fava, J. Xerri de Caro, K. Lanzon 1.

Ta' Xbiex
A. Bianchi, J.J. Tabone, M. Manara 1, K. Sciortino, K. Engerer, W. Privitera, P. Paolella, R. Polacik 3, T. Debono 1, C. Zammit 2, J. Surim 2, A. Tanti, D. Pisani 2.

Referees: M. Angilleri, P. Balzan.