Routine victories for top teams

Three early goals by San Ġiljan Tropicana Juices set the pattern for the Saints' victory over Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise.

The team coached by Marco Risso had the edge in speed and scoring power, this latter quality being mainly provided by the Serb Boris Popovic who netted half of the team's eight goals.

Besides a lack of staying power, Ta' Xbiex had a shortfall on man-up sets with a 25 per cent rate of success compared to the Saints' 60 per cent.

At one point in the second session Ta' Xbiex trimmed down a 3-0 deficit to 3-2. But, Popovic and Yugo Vasovic kept supplying the drive for the Saints with Dean Camilleri, replacing Keith Schembri in goal in the last session, also standing out with some fine saves, including a penalty.

Sliema McDonald's maximum effort, when they played Marsascala in the second match, earned them a massive 21-9 victory. Sliema's constant movement and clinical finishing gave them a clear ascendancy over their opponents and this superiority became more pronounced as the match unfolded.

Raimund Fodor's playmaking and Otto Frick's striking ability became increasingly evident. The scoring acumen on Marsascala's side was only put on show by the Hungarian Szabo Botond who netted a naphand of goals.

Another routine victory for a top team against less-fancied opponents had Neptunes Vodafone sealing the verdict on a 19-1 scoreline against Marsaxlokk Freeport.

As was anticipated, the Balluta team flexed their muscle with minimum effort as their 12-man squad, minus their two foreigners, dictated matters against an even more depleted side of 11 units which was also bereft of overseas performers.

The Reds, again playing without their unfit goalkeeper Nicky Gouder whose place was taken by Ryan Sciortino, kept building up their lead, even if overconfidence occasionally caused them to stumble when goals seemed a matter of course.

As early as the second session, their coach Paolo Malara started using most of the manjack at his disposal more profusely. Eight of Neptunes' players inserted their names among the scorers, led by Niki Lanzon and Michele Stellini who netted five and four respectively.

Next fixtures

Friday: 6 p.m. Sliema vs Ta' Xbiex; 7.15 p.m. San Ġiljan vs Marsaxlokk.

Saturday: 5 p.m. Sirens vs Exiles; 6.15 p.m. Neptunes vs Marsascala.

San Ġiljan 8
Ta' Xbiex 3
(3-0, 1-2, 1-1, 3-0)

San Ġiljan: K. Schembri, C. Spiteri Debarro, C. Gialanze 1, B. Popovic 4, M. Borg Spiteri, A. Bianchi 1, P. Fava, D. Camilleri, M. Pace 1, A. Borda, Y. Vasovic 1, J. Xerri de Caro, K. Lanzon.

Ta' Xbiex: A. Bianchi, S. Cachia, M. Manara, K. Falzon, G. Lubrano, B. Szalma 1, P. Paolella, K. Engerer, J. Tabone, E. Aquilina 1, G. Gera, D. Pisani, Y. Szeles 1.

Refs: A. DeRaffaele, M. Caruana.

Sliema 21
Marsascala 9
(3-1, 5-1, 8-4, 5-3)

Sliema: J. Cachia, J. Gabaretta 3, N. Lubrano, R. Fodor 1, M. Meli 2, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella, J. Brownrigg 2, C. Debono, J. Valletta 4, M. Rizzo 1, A. Frick 5, R. Coleiro.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, P. Borg 1, J.C. Cutajar, M. Borg, G. Ghirxi, L. Griscti, J. Licari 1, M. Spiteri, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar, S. Botond 5, G. Suti 2, S. Farrugia.

Refs: M. Angilleri, R. Spiteri.

Neptunes 19
Marsaxlokk 1
(3-0, 5-0, 4-1, 7-0)

Neptunes: R. Sciortino, N. Lanzon 5, T. Agius, K. Galea 1, E. Cachia 1, N. Gouder, S. Camilleri 3, J. Camilleri 3, R. Attard 1, S. Gravina, M. Stellini 4, M. Pisani 1.

Marsaxlokk: E. Arrigo, G. Attard, R. Calleja, A. Farrugia, M. Buttigieg, C. Bugeja, A. Xuereb, E. Bonello, K. Grima Scott 1, R. Attard.

Refs: P. Balzan, S. Licari.