Rivals Neptunes, Sliema share spoils

As the Winter League resumed on a rather cold and dull afternoon yesterday, the main fixture was that between title holders Sliema McDonald’s and Neptunes Emirates, a contest which ended with 18 goals being shared.

This was a fair outcome considering the level of commitment shown by the contestants, even if rough edges on either side were evident in this early part of the year. The Blues appeared to be well in control as they took a 6-2 lead early in the second session. But that was far too premature for them to count their chickens.

In fact, Neptunes recovered admirably to restore equilibrium and thus give the game the traditional tit-for-tat flavour. The Reds held out after going 9-8 ahead but conceded the equaliser with less than a second to go as one of the Sliema protagonists, Michael Spiteri Staines, earned his team a welcome salvo.

Early on, Sergio Afric’s team recovered a 1-0 deficit to take a 3-1 lead, after which they opened up that four-goal gap. But Neptunes refused to buckle, scoring four goals in succession, most of them coming from man-up sets. They then twice nosed in front before they conceded that very late equaliser.

In the first match of the day, Sirens Ritter Sport had the better of San Ġiljan Firetech 8-6 to inflict the second defeat on the Saints.

The St Paul’s Bay team, guided by Dorian Pisani, were the better outfit with David Cutajar scoring a hat-trick. Their central zone cover had Karl Izzo’s side in all sorts of problems and it was only in the last session that the Saints picked up the pieces to close the gap to one goal, on 6-5.

But two quick goals late on by Mark Grech restored Sirens’ comfortable advantage before Christian Gialanze, scorer of three goals, closed his side’s account.

The last encounter of the day saw the ASA U-17 team overcome Marsascala Solidbase by 19 goals to 11, a result which gives the youngsters a morale-booster even if they will meet much stiffer opposition in their matches ahead, especially in the competitive LEN tournament.

During yesterday’s programme of matches, Sliema’s John Soler and Anthony Galea (last season with Ta’ Xbiex) were presented with the 2010 player of the year plaques for the first and second division respectively. The presentation was made by ASA president Joe Caruana Curran.

Summaries

San Ġiljan 6
Sirens 8
(0-3, 1-2, 2-0, 3-3)

San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, J.C. Cutajar 1, A. Galea, K. Galea, M. Borg Spiteri 1, K. Dowling, L. Grixti, A. Bianchi, K. Mock, C. Gialanze 3, P. Fava 1, M. Fenech, K. Schembri.

Sirens: J. Sammut, M. Grech 2, P. Micallef, P. Borg 1, A. Sammut, R. Mock 1, J. Borg, D. Cutajar 3, M. Grech, C. Zammit 1, L. Micallef, D. Zammit, C. Mercieca.

Refs: M. Angilleri, P. Balzan.

Neptunes 9
Sliema 9
(1-3, 5-3, 2-2, 1-1)

Neptunes: I. Bugeja, N. Lanzon 1, E. Aquilina, M. Stellini 3, Z. Mizzi 2, K. Debattista, J. Camilleri 2, T. Agius, B. Buhagiar, S. Gravina 1, G. Pace, A. Sammut, M. Pisani.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, M. Spiteri Staines 2, N. Lubrano, P. Privitera, M. Cordina, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella 1, J. Spiteri Staines 2, C. Debono, C. Cluett, M. Rizzo 2, D. Abela.

Refs: I. Sciriha, A. DeRaffaele.

ASA U-17 19
Marsascala 11
(3-2, 4-2, 5-2, 7-5)

ASA U-17: R. Leullen, M. Paris 1, K. Galea, B. Lanzon 1, E. Meli, K. Dowling 3, M. Fenech, K. Debattista 1, N. Portelli 4, D. Borg 2, L. Caruana 2, D. Zammit 5, Z. Sciberras.

Marsascala: S. Farrugia, C. Spiteri De Barro 3, D. Caruana 1, D. Muscat, B. Plumpton 2, R. Scerri, S. Micallef 3, K. Navarro 2, A. Zammit, B. Muscat.

Refs: P. Giordano, R. Spiteri.

Malta squad

Malta coach Sergio Afric yesterday selected an 18-man squad to begin preparations for the European qualifiers against Turkey (home, June 28) and Poland (away, July 2).

The squad: A. Bianchi (San Ġiljan), A. Borg Cole (Exiles), P. Borg (Sirens), J. Camilleri (Neptunes), S. Camilleri (Bogliasco), R. Coleiro (Sliema), D. Cutajar (Sirens), C. Debono (Sliema), K. Galea (San Ġiljan), S. Gravina (Neptunes), N. Lanzon (Neptunes), N. Lubrano (Sliema), M. Pisani (Neptunes), P. Privitera (Sliema), M. Rizzo (Sliema), J. Soler (Sliema), M. Stellini (Neptunes), T. Sullivan (Exiles).