Yesterday’s card produced the first draw of the season when Marsascala Mor€ and Ta’ Xbiex Amigos shared the spoils on 12-12, while in the second match it was a close 11-8 call for Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate against Valletta Mc Donald’s.
In an exciting finale to the first match Marsascala recovered from a five-goal deficit in the third session to equalise with two seconds left.
That salvo came from the Spaniard Sergi Mora who was the team’s protagonist with five goals.
Ta’ Xbiex had conducted the match scorewise with Milos Maksimovic netting four goals, as did Sean Gravina whose presence has given the team much needed stability. Mario Zammit’s lads looked the livelier lot when winning the first three sessions to lead 12-7.
But then Marsascala, mainly through Mora, rolled up their sleeves to stage a remarkable recovery and deny their opponents the win.
In the second clash, Sliema looked well on course to beat Valletta with something to spare.
They led 5-1 until half-time, with their superior movement and power when within the shooting zone being unquestionable.
However, the City team kept fighting. They won the third session to close the gap to 7-4. That leeway was further reduced in a high-scoring fourth quarter and with only 36 seconds left it was 10-8 for the Blues.
A fifth goal by Antonio Petkovic gave his team a breather.
Sliema had always led but they were not allowed to stretch their advantage to comfortable proportions despite having their top order players always in the water.
Summaries
Marsascala 12
Ta’ Xbiex 12
(1-3, 4-6, 2-3, 5-0)
Marsascala: D. Spiteri, J.C Cutajar, S. Mora 5, C. Bonello 1, E. Meli, L. Grixti 3, M. Pace 1, J. Cremona, S. Micallef, C. Mifsud, D. Cassar, G. Marnitz 2, J. Cremona.
Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, L. Pace, M. Camilleri, S. Aquilina, K. Debattista, K. Mock 1, S. Gravina 4, M. Agius, E, Gravina, M. Maksimovic 4, R. Attard, O. Zammit 1, P. Markoch 2.
Referees: M. Angileri, S. O’Brien.
Sliema 11
Valletta 8
(4-1, 1-0, 2-3, 4-4)
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 2, N. Lubrano, T. Sullivan, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 1, J. Borg, C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg, A. Attard 1, T. Hutten 1, A. Petkovic 5, K. Schembri.
Valletta: R. Sciortino, R. Mock, M. Spiteri Staines 1, M. Korolija 2, D. Abela, S. Cachia, M. Cordina 1, C. Zammit 1, C. Debono, R. Scerri 1, D. Paolella 1, D. Filipovic 1, M. Rizzo.
Referees: M. Dalli, K. Denver.
Playing today
18.15 Otters vs Marsaxlokk; 19.30 Sirens vs Exiles.