League leaders in cruise control

Ta' Xbiex 9
Marsaxlokk 12
(3-3, 2-3, 2-4, 2-2)

Sliema McDonald's maintained their winning streak when defeating San Ġiljan Tropicana Juices in a match which opened the second phase of the summer top division league.

If there was any semblance of a contest in the first sessions, the next two turned out to be one-sided affairs with Igor Gocanin's team assuming the driving seat thanks to his players' resilience and wider array of goalscorers.

The final scoreline, which saw the Blues winning by one more goal than they had done last week, mirrored the edge they had over San Ġiljan.

Both teams had an important player missing from their ranks, with the Blues being unable to make use of Hungarian Marthon Toth who is understood to have been recalled to his country, while the Saints were without their prolific scorer Matthew Zammit who was loaned to Neptunes for the rest of the season. However, San Ġiljan had Sean Gravina who was swapped for Zammit.

The first session was a close affair, with the Blues twice taking the lead after San Ġiljan had neutralized their initial advantage.

The Blues' greater potential was not fully exploited in the second session, even if they widened their gap marginally. In fact they missed two consecutive extra-man sets before San Ġiljan twice frittered open chances with only goalkeeper Josie Cachia to beat.

Sliema scored twice on either side of the Saints conversions for a 4-2 Blues' advantage before ends were changed.

At this stage, one expected Sliema to press the accelerator, despite San Ġiljan's resistance in those opening sessions. In fact, a six-goal surge to which the Saints could only reply twice gave Sliema breather at the same time leaving San Ġiljan gasping as the advantage widened to 10-4 by the end of the third quarter.

By then, the Hungarian Fodor had reached his hat-trick with Otto Frick and John Soler scoring twice before Frick netted another in the last session.

That final quarter was of academic interest as the Saints' resistance waned considerably. The Blues went on to make it 12-4 after which San Ġiljan staged a partial recovery for a 15-8 final scoreline.

In a high-scoring match, which set the scene for the Second Division league, Marsaxlokk Freeport consolidated their runner-up position in the standings when they defeated Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise by 12 goals to nine.

The southerners did the trailing early on, but towards the end of the second quarter they nosed in front never to relinquish their advantage. Dimitry Vankevich and Alan Farrugia were their top scorers with a hat-trick each while Roman Polacik replied with a poker for Ta' Xbiex.

Ta' Xbiex 9
Marsaxlokk 12
(3-3, 2-3, 2-4, 2-2)

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

Marsaxlokk: R. Bonnici, S. Cachia, G. Attard, A. Farrugia 3, K. Farrugia, C. Bugeja 1, D. Schembri 1, D. Pankevich 3, S. Frolov 2, E. Bonello, G. Ghirxi, M. Zammit 2, K. Sciortino.

Referees: A. De Raffaele, M. Angilleri.

Sliema 15
San Ġiljan 8
(2-1, 2-1, 6-2, 5-4)

Sliema: J. Cachia, J. Gabaretta, E. Aquilina 1, R. Fodor 3, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella, J. Brownrigg 1, C. Debono 3, J. Valletta, J. Falzon 1, O. Frick 3, R. Coleiro.

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, R. Gospodinov 2, E. Arrigo, A. Bianchi 2, M. Pace, S. Gravina, V. Kretkovic, A. Borda, P. Fava 2, J. Xerri de Caro 1, K. Lanzon.

Referees: F. Brasiliano, M. Dalli.

Today:
4 p.m. Otters vs Ta' Xbiex;
5.15 p.m. Exiles vs Marsascala;
6.30 p.m. Sirens vs Neptunes.