Sliema Stompers 45
Overseas 22

Sliema Stompers underlined their title credentials with an impressive win over Overseas in a Cisk League clash at Marsa during the weekend.

Overseas started the game with Vince Stivala positioned at fly-half.

Stompers deployed Calvin Briffa on the open-side of the back row as Robert Meintjes returned to the starting line-up.

Stompers were dominant in the scrum and won several balls on Overseas’ put in.

Dragan Cerketa, who played in an unfamiliar back row role, remains a galvanising force for Stompers and Malcolm Attard was accurate with the boot, kicking a very good game for goal and even territory.

That set the tone for the game, giving Stompers an edge that carried into territory and put the defence under pressure.

South African Meintjes got the tries underway inside two minutes of play with Attard adding the extras.

Attard proceeded to score a try of his own as the first half was a good show by Stompers, they made good ground when playing through the forwards, then switching play when moving the ball out wide.

Stompers’ other first-half tries came from Daniel Holliday and Luke Debattista.

Nathan Gatt came off the Stompers’ bench and was rewarded for his efforts with two tries.

Like Gatt, John Ellul also started on the bench after a long lay-off and ran good lines when on field.

Debattista finished off a fast counter-attacking try for Stompers before Overseas put up an impressive fightback.

They scored three tries in quick succession to make the score look more respectable with pacey winger Jake Buttigieg delivering the goods to finish off the moves before the last point.

Referee: Steve Busuttil.