Neptunes win with something to spare

Neptunes Emirates were not quite in full flow early on in yesterday’s game as they came up against a resolute Sirens Ritter Sport who went for effective stifling tactics.

However, the Reds opened up the throttle decisively in the last quarter after having been 11-7 ahead with the final session left.

Neptunes’ expertise and staying power, despite some glaring misses in front of goal, could not be denied and at the end of the day they won with goals to spare.

Neptunes took a 4-1 lead with Steve Camilleri scoring an early hat-trick. Sirens, without regular goalkeeper Alan Grech, fought back also profiting from a missed open chance by Michele Stellini. They pulled back two goals to make it 4-3 by the end of the first session.

The Northerners’ press with swift double-shielding on the centre was posing problems for Neptunes who also opted for tight marking. The Reds’ edge though helped them score five goals to their opponents’ brace, thus opening a 9-5 lead halfway through.

Sirens’ all-pitch stringent marking was kept up for the third quarter where the teams shared four goals.

Marco Risso’s team was still full of fight despite having to cut a leeway of four goals by the start of the final quarter.

Meanwhile, Niki Lanzon was back in the fray after two early personal faults.

The Northerners’ promise dissolved in the pool in that last session as Neptunes’ graft and craft was too much for them.

Steve Camilleri stopped on six goals, Tamas Molnar reached his hat-trick, young Gabriel Pace and Clint Mercieca added singles while master of ceremonies Aleksandar Ciric netted his usual goal.

Recovering from a 4-1 deficit early in the second session to make it 5-5 by mid-point, and following up with four goals without reply in the third session as Otters stalled, Ta’ Xbiex appeared to be a good bet to collect maximum points as they led 9-5 with the last session to go.

However, the Gozitans staged a bold recovery just as they have done against Valletta in their previous match, with veteran John Paris and Hungarian Zoltan Radoczx each netting four goals.

That comeback helped Alfred Cachia’s team to level matters before Ta’ Xbiex netted the killer goal for their first win of the season.

Three goals at vital moments in the match from Laslo Suranyi and a good team effort help Ta’ Xbiex to obtain this success.

Otters 10
Ta’ Xbiex 11
(2-1, 3-4, 0-4, 5-2)

Otters: A. Cachia, G. Attard, G. Zammit, Z. Radoczx 4, S. Dimech, M. Balatoni, J. Paris 4, D. Schembri 1, K. Scicluna, K. Debattista, C. Martin 1, E. Farrugia, K. Grima Scott.

Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, J. Cremona, A. Galea 1, M. Asciak, L. Suranyi 3, C. Bugeja 1, K. Galea, N. Bonello Ghio, C. Saliba 1, R. Attard 2, A. Zammit 1, Y. Szeles 2.

Refs: P. Balzan, S. Licari.

Neptunes 17
Sirens 9
(4-3, 5-2, 2-2, 6-2)

Neptunes: I. Bugeja, N. Lanzon, E. Aquilina, M. Stellini 3, G. Pace 1, A. Ciric 1, S. Camilleri 6, J. Camilleri 1, B. Lanzon, J. Gravina 1, R. Sciortino, T. Molnar 3, C. Mercieca 1.

Sirens: N. Grixti, A. Attard, A. Sammut, P. Micallef, A. Babay 2, C. Kiss 4, J. Borg 2, D. Cutajar 1, A. Zarb Cousin, C. Zammit, C. Spiteri de Barro, D. Zammit, A. Grech.

Refs: M. Dalli, R. Colombo.

Playing Today

(National Pool) Division One 6 p.m. Valletta vs Marsascala. Premier Division 7.15 p.m. Sliema vs San Ġiljan.