Any pre-season predictions as to the composition of the Championship Pool went haywire yesterday, at least temporarily.
Although not performing a David versus Goliath feat, Sirens Ritter Sport rose to the occasion to surprise the more fancied Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate when lowering the Blues’ colours by the odd goal in 23.
This was a stirring duel which was replete with no fewer than 26 expulsions and four penalties, with the Blues contriving a poor card when scoring one on 12 and the northerners five on 14, besides four penalties converted, three by Sliema and the other by Sirens.
Bogdan Rath’s team, spearheaded by Christian Presciutti, who bagged five goals, were an unyielding outfit who blended tactical nous with strong swimming and good physical qualities.
Sliema’s initial ascendacy, scorewise, was not translated beyond two goals. The Blues relied too much on five-goal Antonio Petkovic to fire their ammunition.
John Soler cut a desolate figure and was fouled out in the third session followed by Tim Hutten in the last. So were Sirens’ Zach Mizzi earlier on, David Cutajar and Matthew Pisani late in the game.
The third session turned out to be decisive with Csaba Kiss constituting a threat in the centre and on the flanks, and the useful Gabriel Pace and Marc Grech giving a valid contribution, while goalkeeper Nicholas Grixti was very safe.
Sirens turned it round in the third session and led 11-8 until almost midway in the last.
Sliema tried to hit back but a killer goal by Edward Aquilina, which made it 12-10, got the sting out of Vincze Balasz’s team despite a late goal by Petkovic.
In the previous match, Neptunes Grimaldi did not have to be at their best to dismiss Exiles Ferretti 18-11.
The Reds laid the basis of their victory in the opening sessions when they secured an advantage of seven goals.
That was maintained till the end after the teams shared eight goals in each of the latter sessions.
Due credit should go to Exiles for limiting the damage against an otherwise error-prone Reds’ outfit which was repeatedly caught on the counter off an opposing well-marshalled rearguard that relied on flexible double-shielding on the Neptunes’ centre.
Goal catalysts Steve Camilleri and Peter Biros, each scorer of a nap-hand, had done their part and Neptunes could go into casual mode.
Summaries
Ta’ Xbiex 9
Otters 11
(1-2, 4-3, 2-2, 2-4)
Ta’ Xbiex: L. Borg, L. Pace, M. Camilleri, S. Aquilina, K. Debattista, K. Mock, S. Gravina 5, M. Agius, E. Gravina 1, M. Maksimovic 1, R. Attard, O. Zammit 2, P. Markoch.
Otters: J. Micallef, G. Attard 1, G. Zammit, K. Scicluna 2, R. Bonnici, M. Dimech, J. Paris, D. Schembri 2, A. Edward, S. Dimech, C. Martin, I. Vuksanovic 6, K. Grima Scott.
Referees: S. Licari, D. McKerr.
Neptunes 18
Exiles 11
(5-2, 5-1, 4-4, 4-4)
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 1, M. Lanzon, M. Stellini 1, T. Agius, M. Zammit, S. Camilleri 5, J. Camilleri 3, A. Zarb Cousin, P. Biros 5, M. Castillo, T. Molnar 1, C. Mercieca 2.
Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi 1, S. Vassallo 2, D. Pace Lupi 1, G. Katonas 1, S. Galea Pace, J. Spiteri Staines, K. Grixti, L. Sekulic 4, P. Borg 2, B. Lanzon, K. Lanzon.
Referees: P. Balzan, D. McKerr.
Sliema 11
Sirens 12
(3-2, 3-3, 2-5 3-2)
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 2, N. Lubrano, T. Sullivan, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 1, J. Borg, C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg 1, A. Attard 1, T. Hutten, A. Petkovic 5, K. Schembri.
Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi, C. Presciutti 5, G. Pace 1, M. Grech 1, C. Kiss 2, M. Balucci, D. Cutajar 1, J. Napier, E. Aquilina 2, L. Caruana, A. Sammut, M. Pisani.
Referees: M. Angileri, S. O’Brien.
Premier League
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| San Ġiljan | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 23 | 9 |
| Neptunes | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 50 | 34 | 7 |
| Sirens | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 33 | 32 | 6 |
| Sliema | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 34 | 4 |
| Valletta | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 44 | 0 |
| Exiles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 21 | 41 | 0 |
First Division
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Otters | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 22 | 6 |
| Marsascala | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 20 | 4 |
| Ta’ Xbiex | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 23 | 1 |
| Marsaxlokk | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 21 | 26 | 0 |
BOV KO draws
July 8 − First Division SF: Marsascala vs Marsaxlokk.
Premier Division QF: Exiles vs Sliema (winners to play Valletta in SF).
July 9 − First Division SF: Otters vs Ta’ Xbiex.
Premier Division QF: San Ġiljan vs Neptunes (winners to play Sirens in SF).