San Ġiljan Giuseppe’s made a positive step towards, at least, ensuring second spot in the Divi-sion One table yesterday when they defeated a faltering Sirens Ritter Sport 11-7 in a match which had them holding sway except for brief moments in the second part of the game.

A low-scoring first session ended on a goal apiece after the Saints took an early lead from a penalty shot convered by Nikola Sutic.

Exclusions for both teams were not exploited but a goal from Goran Krstonosic on a free-throw levelled matters late on.

Two consecutive penalties converted by Filip Trajkovic helped San Ġiljan make it 3-1 early in the second quarter. The same player scored from a break for a 4-1 lead.

Meanwhile, Sirens messed up their third extra-man set on the trot before Krstonosic converted the fourth.

Juergen Borg trimmed the leeway to 4-3. With 25 seconds left Clint Mercieca levelled matters before a late goal from Sutic regained his team’s lead at mid-point.

It had been tight all the way as the teams mostly opted for press.

San Ġiljan pressed the ‘go’ but-ton to stun Sirens and score three goals without reply in the third session and open an 8-4 lead.

Santino Micallef, substituting suspended Saints coach Karl Izzo on the bench, must have been relieved at this point. The Saints were in no trouble now as they grew in confidence against the wasteful northenders.

With time running out the issue was all over as the team from Balluta Bay ended up comfortable 11-7 winners.

Most of the foreign players on both sides distinguished them-selves in yesterday’s opening match from Division Two as they netted the bulk of goals.

Valletta Dhalia emerged winners over Otters Nivea to consolidate the runners-up place in the standings, thereby increasing the possibility of contesting the best-of-three play-off series for the title.

In a closely-fought first session six goals were shared. The second was a replica of the first and four other goals were traded.

The third quarter was marked by three quality goals, two by Robert Muncaksy and the other on a solo break by his Hungarian compatriot Mate Bataloni for Otters.

Valletta’s superiority was evi-dent as they opened a 10-7 lead after scoring a treble in quick suc-cession in that third session.

Within barely 90 seconds of the last quarter, Otters closed the gap on 10-9 with Duncan Schembri scoring his second. But again the City team pulled away for a three-goal lead before Zoltan Rodocz reduced the arrears.

Valletta’s Timmy Agius was also among the teams’ best scorers with a hat-trick.

Otters 10
Valletta 12
(3-3, 2-2, 2-5, 3-2)

Otters: J. Cremona, G. Attard 1, G. Zammit, S. Scerri, D. Schembri 2, K. Scicluna, M. Balatoni 3, S. Dimech, Z. Rodocz 3, A. Borg, C. Martin 1, P. Martin, K. Grima Scott.

Valletta: A. Sammut, G. Sammut, A. Di Somma 2, N. Camilleri, R. Muncaksy 4, S. Cachia 1, A. Galea, K. Micallef, T. Agius 3, S. Cini, A. Arrigo, G. Ghirxi 2, K. Hyzler.

Referees: A. DeRaffaele, S. Licari.

Sirens 7
San Ġiljan 11
(1-1, 3-4, 0-3, 3-3)

Sirens: J. Sammut, A. Attard, N. Grixti, P. Borg, S. Kiss 1, R. Mock, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar, G. Krstonosic 2, C. Zammit, L. Caruana, D. Zammit, C. Mercieca 3.

San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, J.C. Cutajar 1, N. Sutic 3, K. Galea 1, F. Trajkovic 5, K. Dowling, L. Grixti, A. Bianchi, M. Borg Spiteri, C. Gialanze, P. Fava, A. Galea 1, K. Schembri.

Referees: P. Balzan, A. Pascucci.

Playing today
Division Two: 5.45 p.m. Ta’ Xbiex vs Marsascala.
Division One: 7 p.m. Exiles vs Sliema.

Division One







P W D L F A Pts
Neptunes 4 4 0 0 69 41 17
San Ġiljan 5 4 0 1 58 50 14
Sirens 5 2 0 3 52 62 7
Sliema 4 1 0 3 42 47 6
Exiles 4 0 0 4 41 62 0
Division Two







P W D L F A Pts
Marsascala 3 3 0 0 41 23 14
Valletta 4 2 1 1 40 40 10
Ta’ Xbiex 3 1 1 1 35 39 5
Otters 4 0 0 4 40 54 2

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