What else would one expect from a Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate and Neptunes Grimaldi clash if not a contest of high drama with fortunes shifting and the outcome uncertain till the very end?
That of yesterday was another duel which left both sets of supporters with their hearts in their mouths.
The excitement was unending even if at certain moments in the second session Neptunes seemed to be pulling away from their opponents after building a lead which stretched to six goals – 10-4 by the time ends were changed.
The Reds’ power play, fuelled by the rehabilitated Peter Biros, put their opponents on a rope as Sliema’s loose marking was fully exploited by Biros and company.
However, the Blues picked themselves up and gradually nibbled the deficit, with three goals separating the sides at the end of the penultimate session as Sliema fought bravely to pull back on 11-8.
More was to follow, with Neptunes faltering most of their man-up sets – they only netted two on seven. Sliema’s reading in this respect was much healthier as they only failed to score once from as many opportunities.
Midway through the last quarter the Blues had levelled matters on 11-11, only for the Balluta Bay Reds to again open a three-goal lead on 14-11.
But Sliema, who paraded Ivan Basara from Serbia in lieu of Tim Hutten, still had something more in their tank and managed to equalise, with the last goal from hat-trick scorer Jurgen Borg coming 15 seconds from time.
He ended as the Blues’ hero even if Antonio Petkovic grabbed four.
In the opening match, Valletta McDonald’s dismissed Marsascala Mor€ 16-8 to make certain of a berth in the Premier League.
The southerners, with Arpad Babay replacing Sergi Mora, stayed with their opponents until the end of the opening session.
After that the City team took over and their superior fare helped them open a 15-6 lead by the end of the third quarter as Milos Koralija and Michael Rizzo led the team’s scoring chart with four goals each.
The last quarter was a formality with Marsascala having long thrown in the towel despite a six-goal haul by Gergo Marnitz.
Valletta 16
Marsascala 8
(3-2, 5-2, 7-2, 1-2)
Valletta: R. Sciortino, R. Mock, J. Spiteri Staines 2, M. Korolija 4, D. Abela, S. Cachia, M. Cordina 1, C. Zammit 2, C. Debono 1, R. Scerri 1, D. Paolella, D. Filipovic 1, M. Rizzo 4.
Marsascala: D. Spiteri, J.C. Cutajar 1, A. Babay, C. Bonello, E. Meli, L. Grixti, M. Pace, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef, C. Mifsud, D. Cassar, G. Marnitz 6, J. Cremona.
Referees: P. Balzan, F. Romolini.
Sliema 14
Neptunes 14
(1-2, 3-8, 4-1, 6-3)
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta, N. Lu-brano, T. Sullivan, M. Meli 2, J. Soler 3, J. Borg 3, C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg 1, A. Attard, I. Basara 1, A. Petkovic 4, K. Schembri.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 1, M. Lanzon, M. Stellini 1, T. Agius, G. Mizzi, S. Camilleri 3, J. Camilleri, A. Zarb Cousin, P. Biros 6, B. Dougall, T. Molnar 2, C. Mercieca 1.
Referees: M. Dalli, P. Bensaia.
Group A
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Neptunes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 78 | 40 | 10 |
| Sliema | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 66 | 38 | 10 |
| Valletta | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 48 | 43 | 6 |
| Marsascala | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 66 | 1 |
| Ta’ Xbiex | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 76 | 1 |
Group B
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| San Ġiljan | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 22 | 12 |
| Sirens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 34 | 9 |
| Exiles | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 46 | 41 | 6 |
| Otters | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 35 | 75 | 3 |
| Marsaxlokk | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 35 | 65 | 0 |
Starting classifications
Premier League: San Ġiljan 6; Neptunes, Sliema 4; Sirens 3; Valletta, Exiles 0.
First Division: Otters 3; Marsascala, Ta’ Xbiex 1; Marsaxlokk 0.