Eyeing a three-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Neptunes’ test today against Sliema, San Ġiljan Sir Alex made their expected headway when beating Sirens Ritter Sport 21-16, yesterday.
The free-scoring match was definitely resolved in the third session, with the Saints winning it 7-3.
Their striking force, led by seven-goal Matthew Zammit followed by Karl Galea and Peter Biros (four each), was compli-mented by a perfect nine-on-nine reading on man-ups and all-round collective play which underlined their growing strength.
Galea, for the Saints, was off to a bright start as was Zammit. However, Sirens kept it relatively tight scorewise in a first session which ended 6-4 for the league leaders.
San Ġiljan’s ability to thrive on extra-man sets stood out.
Sirens kept up their fighting stance when twice in arrears by two goals, managing to win the second session 5-4 and clip the deficit to 9-10 at half-time.
Meanwhile, Biros, shadowed by Czaba Kiss, scored his first goal to make it 12-9 as San Ġiljan pulled away in the third session which ended 17-12 in their favour.
That five-goal advantage was maintained as the two teams shared eight goals in the last quarter, with Arpad Babay totalling six for Sirens.
In the earlier match, an unprecedented 12-goal haul from Ivan Vuksanovic helped Otters Nivea turn it around to beat Ta’ Xbiex Amigos 15-13 after the Gozitans had been four goals behind in the first and second sessions.
The win ensured Otters would consolidate their third position in the Division One standings.
A 7-4 advantage in the first session was reduced by one goal to 10-8 after the second. The comeback for Otters was in the last two sessions which they won by a margin of two goals.
The Vuksanovic show was minimally aided by a Christoff Martin goal early on and one apiece from Karl Scicluna and Keith Grima Scott.
For Ta’ Xbiex, Yuri Szeles, with five goals, was followed by Anthony Galea who scored four against Otters.
Summaries
San Ġiljan 21
Sirens 16
(6-4, 4-5, 7-3, 4-4)
San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, J.C. Cutajar 1, C. Gialanze 1, K. Galea 4, K. Dowling, M. Zammit 7, M. Avramovic 2, A. Bianchi, C. Spiteri de Barro, P. Biros 4, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit 1, J. Sammut.
Sirens: A. Grech, Z. Mizzi, M. Grech, J. Napier, A. Babay 6, Z. Kiss 3, J. Borg 2, D. Cutajar 1, A. Zarb Cousin 2, A. Attard 2, S. Micallef, J. Zampa, J. Cremona.
Referees: Peter Balzan, Filippo Gomes.
Ta’ Xbiex 13
Otters 15
(7-4, 3-4, 1-3, 2-4)
Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, L. Pace, C. Pace, Ant. Galea 4, S. Cini, M. Asciak, K. Galea 1, P. Paris 1, P. Markoch 2, M. Spiteri, O. Zammit, Y. Szeles 5.
Otters : N. Grixti, G. Attard, G. Zammit, S. Scerri, P. Sciberras, A. Cachia, K. Scicluna 1, D. Schembri, A. Edward, S. Dimech, C. Martin 1, I. Vuksanovic 12, K. Grima Scott 1.
Referees: M. Angilleri, S. Licari.
Today: 16.45 U-17 vs Marsaxlokk; 18.00 Valletta vs Marsascala; 19.15 Neptunes vs Sliema.