Saints trounce Sirens

San Giljan 10
Sirens 5
(5-0, 3-1, 2-2, 0-2)

San Giljan Tropicana Juices, strengthened by the inclusion of Matthew Zammit, back in Malta after his Italian experience for Serie A2 RN Imperia, played a superb game to sweep decisively past Sirens Ritter Sport yesterday.

This match had two of the top four teams playing each other in the preliminary round.

No doubt, the Saints' game-plan, charted so expertly by their Italian coach Marco Risso, was executed almost to perfection by his units in the water.

Sirens could never manage any sort of reaction except for the last two sessions when it was then too late.

San Giljan were in a class of their own in the opening two sessions, powering ahead by five clear goals and then extending that lead to 8-1 as the St Paul's Bay team looked completely out of sorts.

The ascendancy by the Saints waned in the latter sessions but with Zammit an important reference point in the centre and Yugoslav Vasovic looking deadly, there was nothing that Sirens could really do.

With only pride left to play for, the northerners tried to restore some sanity in their game and make the scoreline against them less gaping while San Giljan opted to administer their comfortable lead.

Except for Clint Mercieca's platonic satisfaction of reaching his hat-trick, there was very little to say in the last two sessions as the Saints' victory had long been secured.

The evening's programme had started with an evenly-balanced match that was resolved in favour of Marsascala thanks to two last-session goals from John Licari, after each team had tried their best to impose themselves on the proceedings.

There was not more than one goal between the teams until that spurt in the final session.

A low-scoring first quarter ended on one goal apiece with Marsascala levelling after Ta' Xbiex had taken the lead.

Both teams continued playing with caution even if there were livelier exchanges in the second session. Five goals were netted, three of which for the southseasiders.

A more concentrated Ta' Xbiex, all but turned the tables on their opponents in the subsequent eight minutes but for a very late equaliser from Marsascala.

John Licari came into the picture in the last quarter, with his opportunism helping him to find the net twice, thus giving his team a hard-earned but deserved victory.

San Giljan 10
Sirens 5
(5-0, 3-1, 2-2, 0-2)

San Giljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, C. Gialanze, B. Popovic 2, M. Borg Spiteri, M. Zammit 3, P. Fava, A. Bianchi, M. Pace, A. Borda, Y. Vasovic 4, J. Xerri de Caro, K. Lanzon.

Sirens: J. Sammut, A. Baranyi, A. Galea, P. Privitera, R. Scerri, R. Mock, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar, A. Attard, C. Zammit 1, C. Mercieca 3, T. Marcz, J. Cremona.

Referees: M. Angilleri, S. Dante.

Ta' Xbiex 6
Marsascala 8
(1-1, 2-3, 3-2, 0-2)

Ta' Xbiex: A. Bianchi, S. Cachia, M. Manara 1, K. Falzon, G. Lubrano, B. Szalma 1, P. Paolella, K. Engerer, J. Tabone 1, E. Aquilina 1, G. Gera, D. Pisani 2, Y. Szeles.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, P. Borg 2, J.C. Cutajar, M. Borg, G. Ghirxi, J. Licari 2, J. Cremona, S. Micallef, R. Cutajar 2, S. Botond, G. Suti 2, S. Farrugia.

Referees: I. Sciriha, A. DeRaffaele.

Playing Today

4 p.m. Otters vs Marsascala
5.15 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Exiles
6.30 p.m. Sliema vs Neptunes