The preliminary round matches reeled off with a marathon four-match programme yesterday at the National Pool with Sirens, Sliema, and Neptunes all recording comfortable victories.
Valletta Sterling were easy prey for an efficient-looking Sirens Ritter Sport in the second match of the day and were duly dismissed never-mind some sound goalkeeping from last season’s Division Two Player of the Year, Andrea Sammut.
The City team may have been handicapped by the unavailability of Hungarian Robert Kovacs, who was unfit to play. However, the northerners were a superior side especially in the phase of execution. In this respect, Dino Zammit stood out with four goals to his credit.
The outcome had never been in doubt despite Valletta’s efforts to keep fighting till the end, particularly through Timmy Agius, who scored four goals.
Sliema McDonald’s were a notch or two above what Exiles could produce in the penultimate match of the day. The Blues could also bank on a solid rearguard which gave the otherwise fumbling opponents little time and space for an effective pot at goal.
The outcome was an easy win for Sliema. They took a 4-2 lead early on in which their accuracy when in front of goal was evident. That trend continued in the second session as the gap opened to 6-2.
Meanwhile, both teams had frittered all their extra-man sets until the second part of the game, with Exiles also contriving to miss a penalty from the otherwise very influential player Aljosa Kunac.
The Blues shaded the next session 3-2 with Ferenc Salomon reaching his hat-trick. It looked quite comfortable for the Blues as they led 9-4 into the last quarter. Exiles could not stop the rot as Sliema added two more goals for a clear-cut victory.
Their statement of intent this season was clear.
As expected the match between Neptunes Emirates and Marsascala developed into a monologue with the Reds having a field day, netting almost at will despite some rustiness. With useful foreigners in their squad, amongst whom Samoan Joseph Kayes, the southerners tried their best to make a game of it.
However, the destination of spoils had never been in question although constant rotation of his manjack by Sergei Markoch dented Neptunes’ maximum potential strength.
Otters 18
Ta’ Xbiex 10
(5-2, 3-4, 5-3, 5-1)
OTTERS: A. Cachia, G. Attard 3, G. Zammit, Z. Radocz 6, S. Dimech, M. Balatoni 5, J. Paris 4, D. Schembri, K. Scicluna, K. Debattista, C. Martin, E. Farrugia, K. Grima Scott.
TA’ XBIEX: L. Borg, A. Galea, S. Botond 3, J. Tabone, K. Falzon, M. Asciak, A. Bugeja, J. Cremona, N. Bonello Ghio 2, C. Bugeja, K. Galea 2, A. Zammit, Y. Szeles 3.
Refs: A. De Raffaele, S. Licari.
Sirens 13
Valletta 8
(4-2, 5-2, 2-1, 2-3)
SIRENS: A. Grech, A. Attard, A. Sammut 1, P. Micallef, T. Arpad 2, T. Kiss 2, J. Borg, D. Cutajar 2, A. Zarb Cousin 1, C. Zammit, C. Spiteri de Barro 1, D. Zammit 4, N. Grixti.
VALLETTA: A. Sammut, S. Meli, K. Hyzler 1, A. Galea, T. Agius 4, S. Cachia, M. Cordina, J.C. Farrugia, R. Kovacs, D. Zoltan 3, A. Arrigo, E. Arrigo, R. Calleja.
Refs: R. Spiteri, M. Dalli.
Sliema 11
Exiles 4
(4-2, 2-0, 3-2, 2-0)
SLIEMA: I. Gergely, J. Gabaretta, N. Lubrano 1, P. Privitera 1, M. Meli 2, J. Soler 3, D. Paolella 1, J. Brownrigg, C. Debono, F. Salamon 3, M. Rizzo, M. Spiteri Staines, R. Coleiro.
EXILES: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi, K. Rizzo Naudi, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, S. Vassallo, J. Spiteri Staines 1, K. Grixti, S. Galea Pace, P. Borg 1, A. Kunac, M. Toth, K. Lanzon 1.
Refs: M. Angileri, M. Dalli.
Marsascala 7
Neptunes 19
(2-4, 1-4, 2-5, 2-6)
MARSASCALA: K. Schembri, K. Navarro, M. Pace, B. Muscat, J. Kayes 2, L. Grixti, J. Licari 1, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef, R. Scerri 1, D. Cassar, M. Fenech, J. Szolt 2.
NEPTUNES: R. Sciortino, N. Lanzon 1, E. Aquilina 2, M. Stellini 3, B. Lanzon, A. Ciric 2, S. Camilleri 5, J. Camilleri 3, G. Pace 1, S. Gravina 1, I. Bugeja, T. Molnar 1, C. Mercieca.
Refs: M. Angileri, P. Giordano.