In a bottom-of-the-table clash between Sirens Ritter Sport and Exiles Ferretti, the northerners ran out 12-7 winners to somewhat boost their morale which has not been on high levels this season. Otherwise their victory will render them no material gain as these two teams will eventually face each other for fourth place in the standings.

As usual their Hungarian duo of Arpad Babay and Csaba Kiss led the scoring statistics. By contrast, Exiles were never in it, with Marton Toth, their top scorer, being in the shadows. Exiles also lacked effective play especially on the flanks.

Sirens started solidly taking a 4-0 lead courtesy of better team play and sharper execution. Exiles could not get going and were found wanting in the covering phase.

Exiles continued in their down-ward path in the next quarter when they conceded four more goals as Babay and Kiss each went on three goals for an 8-1 mid-point lead.

Sirens coach Marco Risso must have been quite satisfied with the performance of his team. Their lead was extended to 10-1 before Exiles managed their second goal through captain Timmy Sullivan.

It was certainly too little for Aurelien Cousin’s lads who had shared 20 goals with Sirens in the previous round.

The St Paul’s Bay team edged their opponents 4-3 in the third quarter to maintain their lead on reassuring levels. Despite three successive goals from Exiles, one of which coming from three-goal Julian Rizzo Naudi, Sirens were not too worried and opted to put tailenders in the water.

They had done enough to ease their way to victory.

Leaders Marsascala Mor€ relied on the scoring abilities of their foreign player New Zealander Joseph Kayes and Hungarian Gabor Hegedus, scorers of six and four goals respectively, to dispose of a fighting Ta’ Xbiex Amigos 17-14.

Taking into account the disparity in terms of points , the team piloted by Mario Zammit fared very discreetly, only falling short in the first and third sessions and actually edging their opponents in the last session after sharing the spoils in the second part of the game.

Credit for the resistance put up by Ta’ Xbiex, who were without keeper Luke Borg, goes to Laszlo Suranyi who netted a naphand.

Marsascala 17
Ta’ Xbiex 14
(5-3, 3-3, 4-2, 5-6)

Marsascala: K. Schembri, G. Hegedus 4, M. Pace, B. Muscat, J. Kayes 6, L. Grixti 1, J. Licari 2, J. Cremona 2, S. Micallef 1, R. Scerri 1, D. Cassar, M. Fenech, K. Navarro.

Ta’ Xbiex: J. Cremona, L. Borg, A. Galea 3, M. Asciak, L. Suranyi 5, L. Pace, K. Galea 1, S. Cini 1, C. Zammit, C. Saliba 1, R. Attard, A. Zammit 2, Y. Szeles 1.

Refs: P. Balzan, R. Spiteri.

Exiles 7
Sirens 12
(0-4, 1-4, 3-4, 3-0)

Exiles: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi 3, K. Rizzo Naudi, D. Pace Lupi, T. Sullivan 1, S. Vassallo, J. Spiteri Staines, K. Grixti 1, S. Galea Pace, P. Borg, A. Kunac 1, M. Toth 1, K. Lanzon.

Sirens: A. Grech, A. Attard 1, A. Sammut, P. Micallef, A. Babay 4, C. Kiss 3, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar 1, A. Zarb Cousin 1, C. Zammit, M. Grech, D. Zammit 1, N. Grixti.

Refs: P. Balzan, D. Bianco.

Standings

Premier Division

Division One