Exiles send holders reeling

3CX Exiles sprung the surprise of the season as they splendidly rose to the occasion to wipe out a four-goal deficit on the first tie to win through to their first ever BOV Knock-Out final on a 23-21 aggregate after their 13-7 victory against holders Sliema McDonald’s yesterday.

It was a defeat that left the Blues disappointed not only for their elimination but also for their poor showing. By contrast, Exiles played a sound tactical game, rotating their play on Marco Cuk, scorer of five goals, and Aurelien Cousin who netted a hat-trick.

However, they owe their victory to a remarkable team effort, never mind their three on ten man-up statistics as opposed to the four on nine for Sliema.

After the Blues twice pulled back to level to 2-2, Exiles took matters in hand to lead 4-2 after the first session with one of the goals from Cuk coming from mid-pitch.

Realising that the Blues were fumbling possession time and again, Exiles grew in confidence as Cousin, twice, Calleja and Sullivan downed their opponents 4-1 in the second session after Paolella could only reduce the gap temporarily on 6-3.

It was 8-3 by mid-point and Exiles ahead by one goal on aggregate.

Apart from their failings in the water, the Blues sorely missed the services of John Soler who was serving a 15-day suspension by the ASA and the unavailable Jerome Gabaretta.

While Exiles continued growing in stature the Blues looked puerile as they messed up most of their possession sets. Their ghastly errors were pounced on by Joe Caruana Dingli’s team who extended their advantage to 10-4 with one session left.

Sliema had to dig into their reserves of know-how but their cause was made worse as Bogdan Rath was fouled out. Meanwhile, Karl Rizzo Naudi had to leave the water injured.

Paul Privitera, twice and Brownrigg, brought the Blues back ahead as they made it 7-10, however, Exiles responded with as many goals scored by veteran John Paris, Cuk and Cousin to send their opponents tumbling out of the competition.

Another match between Otters Nivea and Ta’ Xbiex ASC developed into a tense affair with both teams in contention up till the very end as Ta’ Xbiex consolidated their 16-15 victory in the first leg with another odd-goal success on 14-13 for an aggregate 30-28.

Otters took a 4-2 lead by the end of the first quarter and extended that to 6-2 at one point in the second session only for Ta’ Xbiex to bounce back and level the score before the Gozitans edged ahead on 7-6.

In a high-scoring third session, Ta’ Xbiex pipped their opponents 5-4 with Zoltan Radoczs and Yuri Szeles keeping up their scoring momentum. Tamas Gyrovath was sent off with substitution for kicking an opponent.

It was still finally balanced with the last session to go. Otters hit back to make it 12-11, 27 seconds from the end. But two goals in extremis by Christian Cluett and Reinhart Attard put the issue beyond doubt.

Sliema 7
Exiles 13
(2-4, 1-4, 1-2, 3-3)

Sliema: R. Coleiro, N. Bonello Ghio, N. Lubrano 1, R. Fodor, M. Meli, M. Spiteri Staines, D. Paolella 1, J. Brownrigg 2, C. Debono, P. Privitera 2, B. Rath 1, J. Spiteri Staines, D. Abela.

Exiles: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi, K. Rizzo Naudi, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 2, M. Calleja 1, M. Cuk 5, K. Grixti, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin 3, J. Paris 1, A. Sciberras, K. Lanzon 1.

Refs: P. Balzan, M. Piano.

Otters 13
Ta’ Xbiex 14
(4-2, 3-4, 4-5, 2-3)

Otters: J. Cremona, G. Attard 2, G. Zammit, Z. Radocs 6, D. Schembri 2, K. Scicluna, M. Balatoni 1, S. Dimech, J.P. Buttigieg, M. Dimech, S. Scerri, G. Xuereb, K. Grima Scott 2.

Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, M. Paris, S. Vassallo 1, C. Cluett 2, D. Borg, B. Muscat, T. Gyrovath 3, E. Bonello, M. Cordina 2, M. Agius, R. Attard 1, M. Spiteri, Y. Szeles 5.

Refs: A. De Raffele, S. Licari.

Playing today: Division One KO semi-final (second leg) 6.45 p.m. Neptunes vs Sirens (first leg –17-5); 8 p.m. Division Two KO semi-final (second leg Marsascala vs Valletta (first leg – 11-7).