Rath and Fodor plot Saints’ downfall

Sliema McDonald’s made sure of top spot in Group B yesterday when they defeated San Ġiljan Giuseppe’s in a thrilling match which had the flavour of a real contest as the final scoreline clearly indicates.

The Blues owe their victory to the irresistible tandem of Bogdan Rath, scorer of six goals, and Rajmund Fodor, who netted four.

Thanks to these prodigious players Sliema also enjoyed a much better success rate on man-ups where San Ġiljan were found wanting especially at crucial moments.

Filip Trajkovic’s treble earlier on made for a 4-3 lead for the Saints in the opening quarter after the Blues reversed a one-goal deficit to make it 2-1 and then go behind twice and close the session in arrears.

With Sliema striking through Fodor and left-hander Rath, who scored the first six goals between them, they took a 6-4 advantage.

Meanwhile, Trajkovic soon reached his poker of goals as conversions at both ends kept coming briskly, with both teams shifting from press to double on centre.

The lethal Rath netted his fourth to make it 9-7 for the Blues at the half-way stage. But there was not much in it by then with both coaches being able to use their top-order players.

A quick release from the close defensive clutches followed with a deft assist, helped the Blues net most of the goals to keep their noses in front.

It was 11-9 for Sliema at the end of the third session but Rath and Fodor kept calling the scoring tune.

The last session may not have produced many goals but excitement was rife as the Saints kept battling till the very end, even if they could not salvage anything from the game.

Marsascala meat.com had no trouble at all when seeing off Gozitan team Otters Nivea in the first match in programme at Tal-Qroqq, yesterday.

It was Marsascala’s first win of the season. They swept aside the feeble challenge of their adversaries courtesy of their pronounced super-iority in the first two sess-ions during which the free-scoring Milos Koralji netted five times.

Marsascala took a 10-3 lead before the teams changed ends and despite a tighter scoreline in Marsascala’s favour in the third session, it was still no contest as shown by the 13-5 advantage with one quarter left.

The Gozitans exploited their opponents’ lapses in the last session which they won 3-1 to close in for a 14-8 defeat.

Summaries

Otters 8
Marsascala 14
(1-5, 2-5, 2-3, 3-1)

Otters: J. Cremona, G. Attard 1, G. Zammit, Z. Radocz 1, D. Schembri 1, A. Maklari 3, K. Scicluna, S. Dimech 2, J.P. Buttigieg, G. Tabone, C. Martin, M. Dimech, K. Grima Scott.

Marsascala: S. Farrugia, C. Spiteri de Barro 2, D. Caruana, Mil. Koralji 5, M. Pace 1, E. Arrigo, J. Licari 1, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef, R. Scerri 3, D. Cassar, O. Zammit 1, Mih. Koralji.

Referees: R. Spiteri, P. Giordano.

Sliema 12
San Ġiljan 10
(3-4, 6-3, 2-2, 1-1)

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabaretta, N. Lubrano 1, R. Fodor 4, P. Privitera 1, J. Soler, D. Paolella, J. Brownrigg, C. Debono, M. Spiteri Staines, B. Rath 6, J. Spiteri Staines, D. Abela.

San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, J.C. Cutajar, N. Sutic 1, K. Galea 2, F. Trajkovic 4, K. Dowling 1, L. Grixti, A. Bianchi, M. Borg Spiteri, C. Gialanze 2, P. Fava, M. Fenech, K. Schembri.

Referees: M. Dalli. G. Centineo.

Playing today
5.30 p.m. Sirens vs Ta’ Xbiex; 6.45 p.m. Neptunes vs Exiles.