Neptunes save match with last-session comeback

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

Neptunes
N. Gouder, A. Decker, T. Agius, K. Galea 2, E. Cachia 1, I. Milakovic 3, J. Camilleri, S. Gravina, D. Camilleri, N. Lanzon 1, J. Paris, M. Stellini, M. Pisani 2.

Sirens
A. Grech, R. Mock, A. Galea, P. Privitera, A. Babay 2, P. Zimonic, J. Borg 4, D. Cutajar 1, K. Montfort 1, R. Scerri, C. Mercieca 1, P. Borg, J. Sammut, A. Attard, P. Micallef.

Referees: E. Carannante, M. Angilleri.

Ta' Xbiex 11
Marsaxlokk 11
(3-4, 3-4, 3-1, 2-2)

Ta' Xbiex
A. Bianchi, J. Tabone, M. Manara 1, K. Sciortino, K. Engerer, W. Privitera, P. Paolella 1, R. Polacik 4, T. Debono 2, C. Zammit 3, J. Surim, A. Tanti, D. Pisani, G. Desira Buttigieg.

Marsaxlokk
R. Bonnici, S. Cachia, G. Attard 2, A. Farrugia 2, K. Farrugia, C. Bugeja 1, G. Ghirxi 1, D. Vankerich 1, S. Frolov 4, E. Bonello, M. Buttigieg, M. Zammit, K. Sciortino, E. Bonello, M. Buttigieg.

Referees: M. Dalli, I. Sciriha.

Champions Neptunes Vodafone had to rely on all their experience and determination to salvage a point from their match against Sirens Centro Casalinga yesterday. This was the last match from the Preliminary Round which sees Sliema McDonald's at the top with three points over their nearest rivals.

After a steady start by Neptunes, who took a a double lead following goals by Karl Galea and Niki Lanzon, Sirens settled down and started finding gaps in the Reds' defensive lines thanks to their fast swimming and superior tactics.

Juergen Borg, along with Karl Montfort the protagonist for his team, scored two goals and David Cutajar made it 3-2 for the St Paul's Bay team. The absence of Steve Camilleri was sorely felt by Neptunes but Ivan Milakovic found space to equalise - 3-3.

Montfort, however, put Sirens back in the lead with a well-taken goal just before the first session was over.

Both sides looked tense as the game restarted. There were several man-ups which produced no goods. Then, Borg and Arpad Babay scored two quick goals for Sirens who opened a 6-3 lead.

Sirens showed better composure at this stage and their lead was fully deserved. Neptunes, however, gained a lifeline when Milakovic hit home to make it 6-4 before the two teams changed ends.

Goalkeeper Niki Gouder did well to keep Neptunes afloat and, at the other end, Alan Grech also denied the Reds with some timely saves. Borg broke the ice in the third session with a scorching left-hander but Matthew Pisani replied for Sergio Afric's team.

As the fourth session got underway, Edward Cachia made it 7-6 from a man-up but Clint Mercieca restored Sirens' two-goal cushion. With almost four minutes left, Neptunes were awarded a penalty and Sirens lost coach Marco Baldinetti for showing dissent to referee Enzo Carannante. Milakovic beat Grech from the penalty.

Sirens held tight and still looked on course for victory when Babay made it 9-7 with only two minutes left on the clock. Neptunes were not finished though and seconds later they reduced the arrears with a Galea shot which, in the referees' view, had just beaten the buzzer, sounding change in possession.

The Sirens bench thought otherwise though and protested heavily. As a consequence, assistant coach John Farrugia was also dismissed by Carannante, leaving Sirens without technical assistance for the last few seconds of the match.

Neptunes pressed forward in search of an equaliser and with 13 seconds to go, Pisani beat Grech with a perfect lob.

Sirens rued their bad luck but Neptunes were relieved to have avoided defeat as an upset yesterday would have left them with a mountain to climb to defend their title this summer.

A Charlie Zammit goal, scored in the last 21 seconds from a man-up situation, gave a point to Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise in the opening match.

This was the first drawn result of the Preliminary Round. Ta' Xbiex confirmed that, despite their ageing squad, their experience and character are not to be dismissed.

Although this was a balanced encounter, Marsaxlokk Freeport should have put the game beyond their opponents' reach as early as the second session when they held a three-goal advantage. However, from then on, they missed several scoring chances with Ta' Xbiex profiting to stay in the match.

In fact, Aldo Scerri's team came back again from a two-goal deficit in the last session to grab a hard-earned point at the end following goals by Tyson Debono and Zammit.