Revitalised Sirens rout poor Exiles

Sirens Ritter Sport can be considered as an enigmatic team this season.

After their abysmal showing against Neptunes, admittedly the team of the moment, they managed to perform admirably yesterday to dump a surprisingly out-of-tune 3CX Exiles 16-10 and thus go on the four-point mark, leaving their opponents rooted to the bottom of the Division One table.

No doubt about it, this victory should lift the morale of the northerners.

A six on eight man-up card and a sound display was Sirens’ trademark yesterday as was four goals from Clint Mercieca.

Two goals to the good inside the first four minutes, the St Paul’s Bay team looked in better shape.

Exiles twice closed the gap before the northerners scored a last-gasp goal to lead 4-2 at the end of the opening quarter.

An identical scoreline in the second session had Sirens extending their lead to 8-4 before ends were shifted.

Covering at both ends was based on closing in on the respective centres while alternating to press.

Co-incidence deemed another 4-2 scoreline in the third session and this helped the team guided by Predrag Zimonjic to extend their advantage to 12-6.

Exiles were looking inert but Sirens forced them to commit errors.

It was much of the same recipe in the last part of the game as Sirens’ lead was extended to 15-7 with about two minutes left.

The rest was academic. Exiles had long accepted defeat.

In a tight opening match, Marsascala meat.com.mt opened a five-point lead over Valletta Dhalia whom they beat 7-4, with the decisive goals coming in the last three minutes.

After a quiet start, Valletta opened their account with three minutes left for the end of the session before a second late on.

Three goals inside less than two minutes, including two from John Licari, tilted the balance in favour of Marsascala before they conceded the equaliser. It had been quite balanced.

A solitary goal from Milos Koralji in the third session put the southerners ahead with Valletta unable to respond mainly due to Edward Arrigo’s excellent form in goal.

Marsascala had Licari excluded with substitution before the session ended.

Muncacsy made it 4-4 after three minutes in the last quarter but Pierre Borg’s team had the last laugh with three goals which put them on the 11-point mark.

Marsascala 7
Valletta 4
(0-2, 3-1, 1-0, 3-1)

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

Valletta : A. Sammut, G. Sammut 2, A. Di Somma, M. Camilleri, R. Munkacsy 1, S. Cachia 1, A. Galea, K. Micallef, T. Agius, S. Cini, A. Arrigo, G. Ghirxi, J.C. Farrugia.

Refs: M. Dalli, R. Spiteri.

Sirens 16
Exiles 10
(4-2, 4-2, 4-2, 4-4)

Sirens : J. Sammut, A. Attard, P. Micallef, P. Borg 3, C. Kiss 2, R. Mock, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar, G. Kristonosic 3, C. Zammit 2, L. Caruana, D. Zammit 1, C. Mercieca 4.

Exiles : A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, N. Portelli, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, M. Calleja, M. Cuk 4, K. Grixti 1, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin 3, J. Paris, A. Sciberras, K. Lanzon.

Refs: P. Balzan, D. Rotondano.

Playing today: Division Two 5.15 p.m. Ta’ Xbiex vs Otters; Division One 6.30 p.m. San Ġiljan vs Neptunes.