This year’s Winter League ended with victories for Sliema McDo-nald’s and San Ġiljan Sir Alex over Marsaxlokk and Sirens Ritter Sport respectively, yesterday. These results handed the runner-up position to the Saints followed by Sliema.

In the last match of the competition, San Ġiljan collected maximum points to finish behind Neptunes Emirates with an inferior goal difference but better than that of Sliema in direct encounters.

The top three teams had a total of 15 points. The Reds won the competition thanks to their superior GD (goal difference) in direct encounters. They finished on +3 while San Ġiljan and Sliema ended on +1 and -4 respectively.

Karl Izzo’s San Ġiljan had an edge in striking ability and it was no surprise that they syphoned off Sirens’ challenge which initially only had Dino Zammit posing some sort of threat.

The Saints led 4-1 at the half-way mark, with Matthew Zammit scoring a last-gasp scorcher from inside his five-metre zone to make it 8-2 at the end of the third session.

The battling Sirens fought back to cut the leeway to 9-6. But the damage had already been done. At the end of the match, the San Ġiljan captain Paul Fava was presented with the runners-up prize by ASA vice-president Alan Bonello.

With Sliema falling short of obtaining the required result against Neptunes on Wednesday, their expected win against Marsaxlokk sealed the pre-season title in favour of the Balluta Bay team.

Resigned to their fate, Sliema went through the motions of seeing off their weak opponents who remained pointless throughout the competition.

Coach Sergio Afric went for an edited starting formation, with the heavyweights left totally inactive. Nevertheless his young team was not unduly stretched, with the outcome never being brought into question.

Statistically Sliema’s highest scorer was left-hander Michael Spiteri Staines with five goals followed by Christian Cluett with three.

This was the 19th edition of the Winter League with the 2005 tournament not being held. It was Neptunes’ eighth success, Sliema winning seven followed by Sirens with three and San Ġiljan with one.

The presentation of the cup will be held today at the Neptunes pitch at 1 p.m.

Summaries

Marsaxlokk 1
Sliema 14

(0-3, 0-5, 0-1, 1-5)

Marsaxlokk: D. Spiteri, A. Bajada, G. Merten, K. Grech, K. Mock 1, A. Galea, C. Bugeja, T. Camilleri, J. Fenech, G. Zammit.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, G. Gabaretta, N. Lubrano, T. Sullivan, M. Meli, J. Soler, D. Paolella 1, C. Cluett 3, J. Brownrigg, E. Aquilina, M. Spiteri Staines 5, E. Meli 2, D. Abela, M. Agius 1, N. Bugelli 2.

Refs: P. Giordano, R. Spiteri.

Sirens 6
San Ġiljan 9

(0-2, 1-2, 1-4, 4-1)

Sirens: A. Grech, G. Debono, J. Napier, P. Micallef, M. Grech, A. Sammut, J. Borg 1, D. Cutajar 1, S. Micallef, A. Attard 1, A. Zarb Cousin 1, D. Zammit 2, J. Cremona.

San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, J.C. Cutajar 1, A. Galea, Karl Galea 2, K. Dowling 1, M. Zammit 3, Keith Galea, A. Bianchi, C. Spiteri de Barro 2, C. Gialanze, P. Fava, B. Plumpton, D. Zammit, J. Sammut, J. Galea.

Refs: M. Dalli, P. Balzan.

Final standings