Sirens Ritter Sport and San Ġiljan AllCare Insurance registered routine wins over Otters Nivea and Marsaxlokk Fischer respectively as day three of the league programme was completed yesterday.
Making their summer season debut, Sirens registered their expected win over Otters, with the 21-7 result reflecting the undisputed gulf in strength between the two sides.
The presence in the St Paul’s Bay team of Christian Presciutti, one of the overall top scorers in the Italian league, the seasoned Hungarian Csaba Kiss and new signing from Sliema Edward Aquilina, apart from the other promising faces, was a telling factor.
The base was provided in the opening session as the northerners took a 5-0 lead. That buffer was gradually increased with more Sirens players featuring on the scorers’ chart.
Meanwhile, Ivan Vuksanovic for Otters could only show his scoring skills occasionally. Still, he netted four goals.
Bogdan Rath, the Sirens coach, could afford to give his fringe units more playing time as the contest developed into an easy stroll for his team.
In the end, Sirens scorers’ list was extended to nine players, with Presciutti proving his worth with a poker of goals, as did left-hander Zak Mizzi who netted a couple of spectacular goals and the usual Csaba Kiss.
In the second match, San Ġiljan were never extended by Marsaxlokk as they ambled through to a comprehensive 22-4 victory.
The Saints’ movement and striking power were evident throughout, with their units, including the almost fully rehabilitated Matthew Zammit, showing reassuring confidence both on the break and on set play.
Their 11-2 lead at midpoint, induced Sergio Afric to rotate most of his boys as the exchanges continued to be one way. Ian Azzopardi knew quite well that his team could not make the slightest impact when they were in possession.
Alexandar Radovic, another prominent scorer in the Italian top league, again put his striking skills on show when grabbing six goals.
He was followed by Karl Galea with four and Zejlko Kovaci with three.
The Saints’ superiority was underlined when winning all four sessions comfortably.
Summaries
Otters 7
Sirens 21
(0-5, 1-3, 3-6, 3-7)
Otters: Z. Sciberras, G. Attard, G. Zammit, J. Micallef, K. Scicluna, J. Paris, D. Schembri 1, A. Edward 1, S. Dimech 1, C. Martin, I. Vuksanovic 4, Keith Grima Scott.
Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi 4, C. Presciutti 4, G. Pace 1, C. Kiss 4, J. Navarro, D. Cutajar 1, J. Napier 1, E. Scicluna, E. Aquilina 2, L. Caruana, A. Sammut 2, M. Pisani 2.
Refs: M. Angileri, A. DeRaffaele.
Marsaxlokk 4
San Ġiljan 22
(2-6, 0-5, 0-4, 2-7)
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, A. Agius, B. Fulop 1, A. Galea, G. Busuttil, C. Bugeja, M. Fenech, S. Xerri De Caro 1, G. Zammit, O. Frick 2, A. Arrigo, D. Borg Millo, M. Scerri.
San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri De Barro, A. Galea 1, Karl Galea 4, K. Dowling 2, M. Zammit 2, A. Radovic 6, A. Bianchi, Keith Galea 2, Z. Kovacic 3, P. Fava, D. Zammit 2, J. Sammut.
Refs: M. Dalli, S. Licari.
Playing today
18.15 Marsascala vs Sliema
19.30 Ta’ Xbiex vs Neptunes