Neptunes Emirates maintained their stride at the top of the table together with Sliema McDonald's when yesterday they comfortably beat Sirens Ritter Sport 12-6. Meanwhile, Marsaxlokk and Otters Nivea made their debut when facing Marsascala Solid Base Engineering and Ta' Xbiex Mermaids Paradise.
Displaying more solidity when not in possession and more clinical execution, Neptunes ran out easy winners when meeting Sirens in the last match of the day. No doubt, the inclusion of ace Vlado Vujasinovic and the undoubted scoring skills of Steve Camilleri were distinct factors which helped the team, guided by Sergey Markoch, ease to victory which was as clearcut as the scoreline indicated.
Sirens simply could not live with their opponents whose teamwork and flexible blocking were superior. Both teams tossed away chances on favourable scoring situations before Sirens edged ahead. Neptunes squandered three man-ups but they reversed the scoreline for a 2-1 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Exchanges had been evenly-balanced till then. The Reds had the edge in the second session against an erratic Sirens whose haphazard shooting, besides Neptunes' efficient block, proved costly for the Northerners, even if they had equalised momentarily on 2-2. But a five-goal spree gave the Balluta team a 7-3 lead at the halfway stage.
More lethal shots from Steve Camilleri, who added two more goals to his tally, and also backed by powerful shielding, helped Neptunes open an 11-5 advantage before the start of the last session.
Sirens, who had coach Karl Izzo red-carded for dissent early in the third session, were again found wanting when in possession. The last quarter turned out to be an anti-climax with Neptunes in total control and making the minimum of effort to open a wider advantage. In fact two goals at either end left the proceedings at status quo with Neptunes easy winners.
In yesterday's first match, Marsaxlokk, made up of players most of whom classed as masters and under the tutelage of Charlie Mock, were no match for neighbours Marsascala Solid Base Engineering and not surprisingly, were thumped to the tune of 23-8.
The presence of foreigners Adam Decker and C. Vang besides five-goal David Pace Lupi in Marsaxlokk's ranks did very little to contain vastly superior opponents who scored almost at will.
The age-gap between the two teams and the fact that most of the Marsaxlokk players have not been in action at real competitive level for years, made for the futility of the southseasiders presenting such an ageing and outworn outfit.
After an 8-1 advantage in the opening session, Marsascala, for whom Milos Koralji had a field day with seven goals, started making block substitutions, thus easing their foot off the accelerator. Nevertheless the scoreline kept widening for the discomfort of the Marsaxlokk clan.
In the second match, honours went to the Gozitan team Otters who played some efficient waterpolo throughout, helped by foreigners, Hungarian Zoltan Radocz, scorer of a nap-hand, and Slovak Karol Baco, who netted a hat-trick.
Ta' Xbiex were always chasing the scoreline and at one point in the third session, were 10-6 behind. Tamas Gyrovath pulled the strings for his team with six goals and Marco Manara's boys levelled matters at 11-11 late in the game.
With Otters on 12-11 up, Ta' Xbiex fluffed a set on a double man-up and that was that. The Gozitans had been rewarded for their much improved play on last season.
Summaries
Sirens 6
Neptunes 12
(1-2, 2-5, 2-4, 1-1)
Sirens: J. Sammut, A. Attard, L. Caruana, P. Borg 1, J. Spiteri Staines, R. Mock, T. Varga, D. Cutajar, J. Borg 1, Y. Vasovic 2, D. Zammit, C. Mercieca 2, E. Arrigo, J. Cremona.
Neptunes: N, Gouder, N. Lanzon 2, B. Lanzon, M. Stellini 1, D. Camilleri, V. Vujasinovic 1, S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri, B. Buhagiar, S. Gravina 1, Z. Mizzi, T. Molnar 3, M. Pisani, I. Bugeja, K. Debattista.
Refs: P. Balzan, A. Severo.
Marsaxlokk 8
Marsascala 23
(1-8, 2-3, 2-5, 3-7)
Marsaxlokk: N. Camilleri, A. Decker 3, R. Calleja, D. Pace Lupi 5, M. Paris, K. Hyzler, C. Vang, K. Grech, E. Pisani, C. Gambin, T. Camilleri, M. Grima, K. Chetcuti Bonavita.
Marsascala: R. Sciortino, J.C. Cutajar 1, B. Szabo 5, M. Koralji 7, M. Borg Spiteri 1, L. Grixti, J. Licari 2, J. Cremona 2, S. Micallef 2, T. Agius 1, R. Attard, G. Pace 2, J. Bonnici, K. Farrugia.
Refs: P. Giordano, M. Angilleri.
Otters 12
Ta' Xbiex 11
(4-3, 3-2, 3-3, 2-3)
Otters: A. Sciberras, G. Attard, C. Martin 1, Z. Radocz 5, C. Saliba, K. Scicluna, K. Mizzi, K. Baco 3, D. Schembri, B. Rusz 1, A. Arrigo, O. Zammit 1, K. Grima Scott 1, S. Dimech, M. Buttigieg.
Ta' Xbiex: A. Xuereb, S. Cachia 1, D. Caruana 1, A. Farrugia, J.J. Tabone, E. Bonello, D. Gabriel 3, A. Galea, I. Azzopardi, M. Spiteri, T. Gyrovach 6, K. Falzon, L. Borg.
Refs: S. Licari, R. Spiteri.
Next Matches
Wednesday: 6 p.m. Sirens vs Sliema; 7.15 p.m. Neptunes vs San Ġiljan.