The final programme of matches from the round-robin phase of the BOV Division One League will be played this evening at the National Pool with bottom-placed 3CX Exiles still with an outside chance of grabbing the fourth and last-available berth in the semi-final play-offs.

Exiles looked all but doomed after conceding five successive defeats in this round of the championship but two victories on the trot against Sirens Ritter Sport and San Ġiljan Giuseppe’s rekindled their hopes of figuring in the last-four deciders, having already surprised the pundits earlier in the season when reaching the KO final against all expectations.

But Exiles will be facing a tall order today as they have to beat none other than undisputed leaders Neptunes Emirates in the opening match to stay in contention.

Moreover, Exiles will also depend on a misfiring Sliema McDonald’s team to beat Sirens in the late match for Caruana Dingli’s team to achieve their goal.

In previous encounters this summer, Exiles always came a cropper against Neptunes, going down 13-8 and 19-10 in the league and 9-5 in the KO final played on July 16.

With the play-offs set to start on Friday, Neptunes coach Sergei Markoch could be tempted to give more playing time to his fringe players and rest some of his regular starters.

But the Reds’ squad is in plentiful supply and the introduction of non first-teamers during matches was a normal occurrence this summer.

Meanwhile, it will be difficult for Sirens to regain some of their lost confidence after going down to a spirited Exiles 11-10 last week.

Victory on that occasion would have secured an early semi-final berth for the St Paul’s Bay side, this year in a rebuilding phase, and help them stay within striking distance of third-placed Sliema in the standings.

Now, Sirens will be interested spectators in the opening match today.

If Exiles do manage to pull off a miracle and beat Neptunes, Caruana Dingli’s team will leapfrog Sirens in the standings on nine points.

That scenario would set the stage for an unexpected tense finale to this phase of the championship as Sirens, currently on seven points, will have to beat Sliema at all costs to make the last four.

Programme
Today: 5.45 p.m. Neptunes vs Exiles; 7 p.m. Sliema vs Sirens.

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