The first phase of the BOV Winter League came to an end yesterday with Valletta United picking the points after an 8-5 victory over Exiles Ferretti.
With the ASA Under-19 vs San Giljan match also postponed before the April recess, Valletta, guided from the bench by Anthony Farrugia, had the edge over Exiles despite the City team again having two men missing from their list.
That superiority emerged mainly in the middle sessions as three-goal left-hander Michael Spiteri Staines led his team’s six scorers.
Besides having a healthier scoring rate on man-ups, Valletta also thrived on solid defending against an otherwise fumbling Exiles who could only score once from the last seven occasions when they had numerical advantage.
The team’s coach, Aurelien Cousin, must have been left fuming after a fairly good opening when Julian Rizzo Naudi hit a hat-trick. Their blunt finishing mainly accounted for their failure to bridge a four-goal gap at the end of the third quarter.
That was disappointing after their bold display against the fancied San Ġiljan in their previous match when they only succumbed late on.
The competition now resumes on April 27 after Malta’s participation in the Commonwealth Championship in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Exiles 5
Valletta 8
(3-3, 1-2, 0-3, 1-0)
Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi 3, S. Vassallo 1, D. Pace Lupi, P. Paris, N. Portelli, J. Spiteri Staines 1, K. Grixti, M. Paris, P. Borg, B. Lanzon, L. Borg, K. Lanzon, L. Peric, S. Galea Pace.
Valletta: R. Sciortino, R. Mock, M. Spiteri Staines 3, M. Rizzo 1, M. Cordina 1, C. Zammit 1, C. Debono, R. Scerri 1, D. Paolella 1, J.C. Farrugia, D. Abela.
Referees: A. DeRaffaele, M. Dalli.
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Sliema | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 21 | 9 |
| Neptunes | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 13 | 6 |
| San Ġiljan | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 8 | 6 |
| Valletta | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 31 | 6 |
| Sirens | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 33 | 0 |
| Exiles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 47 | 0 |
Malta selection
Malta coach Karl Izzo yesterday named his squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Championships to be held in Aberdeen between April 5 and 12.
The squad
A. Borg Cole, J. Camilleri, N. Lanzon, C. Mercieca, M. Stellini (all Neptunes); D. Camilleri, D. Zammit, M. Zammit (San Ġiljan); A. Attard, J. Brownrigg, J. Gabarretta, M. Meli, T. Sullivan (Sliema).