Gauci starts season on a high

The 2008-09 local table football season kicked off last Sunday with a competition organised by the Malta Table Football Sports Association (MTFSA).

Thirteen players participated in the Open event, four in the Veterans, six in the Under 19 and five in the Under 15.

In the Open quarter-finals, Charles Aquilina defeated Steve Austin 4-1, Hansel Mallia had the better of Joseph Mifsud 1-0, Mark Gauci won 3-1 against Samuel Bartolo and Massimo Cremona prevailed over Derek Conti, 3-1.

In the semis, Gauci upset Cremona 3-0 and Mallia knocked out Aquilina following a 2-0 win.

After taking an early lead in the final, Gauci held off Mallia's reaction and struck again to win 2-0 and secure the first title of the season.

In the veterans' category, Joe Mifsud was in a league of his own, winning all his matches and the title in style. Austin and Adrian Bonnici finished joint-second.

In the Under-19 competition, the promising Angelo Borg demonstrated his huge potential with a straightforward 4-0 victory over Nicholas Sciberras in the final.

Borg and Darren Bezzina ended their U-15 group commitments level on points at the top. Shots had to be taken to decide the outcome of this competition and here, Bezzina prevailed to secure the title.

Meanwhile, Mallia, Cremona and Joe Borg Bonaci will take part in the Europa Cup for clubs, to be held in Manchester on the last weekend of October. Cremona will turn out for Italy's AS Perugia, Borg Bonaci for Athens Falcons (Greece) and Mallia for AS Hennuyer (Belgium).