Seven-goal spree stuns Sirens

Sirens 3
Neptunes 10
(3-1, 0-0, 0-7, 0-2)

An astounding turn-around to a game which looked to be developing on tight lines had champions Neptunes Vodafone upstaging Sirens Centro Casalinga in the third session when they netted no fewer than seven times without reply to turn a 3-1 deficit into an 8-3 lead, thus setting the seal on the result.

Indeed, the Reds lived up to their billing as one of the main contenders for the league title which they are eyeing to win for the third year running.

The masterstroke in that third session was provided by coach Sergio Afric and executed superbly by his players. The Croat mentor made judicious use not only of his three foreigners but also of all his manjack.

His jugular substitutions had his opponents muted not the least the Sirens coach Marco Baldinetti.

Neptunes' new recruits, the Serb Milan Aleksic and the Croat Ivan Zanetic, suddenly started clicking after Sirens went into a 3-1 first-session lead, followed by a goalless second quarter which had both goalkeepers excelling, apart from missed man-ups.

But the Reds also had their other players, including newcomer Matthew Zammit, to thank for this remarkable volte face which came in that third session.

The Reds suddenly realized they had extra reserves of knowhow and power.

Sirens did not know what hit them. They had looked confident in the opening two sessions with their blocking on press or central zone looking impressive. But then it was Neptunes' turn to take control and the St Paul's Bay team stalled completely, not even managing another goal for the rest of the game.

In the last session it was all over bar the shouting, with the Reds mostly going for utilizing the possession period and Sirens resigned to defeat. They had long given up their ghost.

In the second match of the lower division Exiles Elle et Vire proved a stronger outfit when facing Marsascala Ocean and Sky and as a consequence had the beating of their opponents thanks mainly to a 6-3 scoreline in the second session.

The protagonist for the Sliema team was their French player Aurelien Cousin who netted five goals followed by a hat-trick from Michael Rizzo.

Marsascala had Italian Fabio Valenti back in their side after a long lay-off due to injury. They proved to be more competitive but not enough to outwit their more potent opponents whose advantage from the second session onwards always drifted between two and three goals.

In the last match of the preliminary round, between Otters and Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise, the latter team had an easy outing against the Gozitans and after building a 6-0 first session advantage, they coasted home to the tune of 21 goals to five.

The final scoreline was a faithful reflection of the disparity between the sides as Otters, eventually decimated due to definite expulsions, could never cope with their opponents who in Roman Polacik, scorer of a nap hand, had their chief marksman.

Next matches

Friday:
Division Two 6.15 p.m. Marsascala vs Marsaxlokk.
Division One 7.30 p.m. Sliema vs Sirens.

Saturday:
U-19 4 p.m. Otters vs Exiles.
Division Two 5.15 p.m. Ta' Xbiex vs Otters.
Division One 6.30 p.m. Neptunes vs San Ġiljan.

Sirens 3
Neptunes 10
(3-1, 0-0, 0-7, 0-2)

Sirens F. Paprani, R. Mock, T. Galea 1, P. Privitera, A. Babay 1, P. Simonjic, J. Borg, D. Cutajar, K. Montfort 1, R. Scerri, C. Mercieca, P. Borg, J. Sammut.

Neptunes N. Gouder, A. Dekker, M. Aleksic 3, K. Galea, E. Cachia, M. Zammit 1, J. Paris 1, I. Zanetic 2, D. Camilleri, N. Lanzon 1, R. Sciortino, M. Stellini, M. Pisani 2.

Referees: F. Brasiliano, I. Sciriha.

Exiles 11
Marsascala 9
(2-2, 6-3, 2-2, 1-2)

Exiles A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, K. Rizzo Naudi, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 2, R. Blari, M. Rizzo 3, K. Grixti, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin 5, S. Vassallo, A. Cachia, M. Calleja.

Marsascala I. Bugeja, C. Gialanze, F. Valenti 2, A. Tringali 2, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Grixti, J. Licari 1, J. Cremona 3, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, D. Cassar, J.C. Cutajar, S. Farrugia.

Referees: P. Balzan, M. Caruana.

Ta' Xbiex 21
Otters 5
(6-0, 3-2, 7-1, 5-2)

Ta' Xbiex A. Bianchi, J. Tabone, M. Manara 2, K. Sciortino 1, K. Engerer 1, W. Privitera 2, P. Paolella 1, R. Polacik 5, T. Debono 2, C. Zammit 4, J. Surim 1, G. Desira Buttigieg 1, D. Pisani 1.

Otters R. Grech, J.P. Buttigieg, J.L. Zammit, S. Grech, B. Szabo, P. Szabo 2, I. Simon 1, J. Vella 1, C. Martin, L. Cachia 1, F. Bajada, P. Martin, S. Scerri, D. Saliba, E. Farrugia.

Referees: R. Spiteri, A. Farrugia.