In a play-off match which only had bearing on the minor placings in the Premier Division, Sirens Ritter Sport consolidated their fourth position above Valletta after they beat Exiles Ferretti by a four-goal margin in a quiet contest which produced 12 goals.
Although little separated the teams until the third session, the Northerners, through their hard-working captain David Cutajar and Gabriel Pace, also helped by Edward Aquilina and their other youngsters, always held the lead.
Exiles kept within distance until that third quarter, but then the St Paul’s Bay team stretched their lead to comfortable proportions.
Pace and Aquilina each scored a brace, with the others goals coming from Matthew Caruana, John Napier, Luke Caruana and Jacob Sciberras.
Their victory was fully deserved, with Exiles failing to make the necessary inroads in the last sessions.
Marsaxlokk Fischer regained the leadership in the First Division when they saw off third-placed Ta’ Xbiex Amigos 13-5 in the opening match of the afternoon.
After a balanced first quarter Ian Azzopardi’s lads took a decisive 6-2 lead midway through, after which they increased their advantage by four more goals as their opponents tired out.
Charles Bugeja was the winners chief striker with a nap-hand of goals followed by the team’s top scorer Claudio Spiteri De Barro who netted a hat-trick.
Ta’ Xbiex 5
Marsaxlokk 13
(2-2, 0-4, 2-3, 1-4)
Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, S. Aquilina, M. Camilleri, A. Bajada, J. Gauci, K. Mock 2, J. Galea 2, R. Greco, L. Pace, E. Gravina, P. Micallef, C. Pace, K. Grima Scott 1.
Marsaxlokk: A. Xuereb, C. Spiteri De Barro 3, A. Galea, C. Gialanze 1, C. Bugeja 5, N. Portelli 1, A. Zarb Cousin 1, R. Scerri 2, J. Xerri de Caro, J. Cremona.
Referees: S. Licari, P. Giordano
Exiles 4
Sirens 8
(1-2, 2-1, 0-2, 1-3)
Exiles: D. Abela, J. Rizzo Naudi, S. Vassallo 1, D. Pace Lupi 2, M. Paris, J. Spiteri Staines, S. Gravina 1, K. Grixti, N. Paris, A. Bianchi, P. Paris, S. Galea Pace, K. Lanzon
Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Zerafa Gregory, I. Riolo, G. Pace 2, M. Grech, A. Sammut, M. Caruana 1, D. Cutajar, J. Napier 1, E. Aquilina 2, L. Caruana 1, J. Sciberras, M. Muscat
Referees: M. Angileri, P. Balzan.
P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
San Ġiljan | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 72 | 47 | 13 |
Neptunes | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 57 | 37 | 13 |
Sliema | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 41 | 12 |
Sirens | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 59 | 9 |
Valletta | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 40 | 3 |
Exiles | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 34 | 62 | 0 |
P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
Marsaxlokk | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 58 | 22 | 12 |
Marsascala | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 26 | 9 |
Ta’ Xbiex | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 51 | 3 |
Otters | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 52 | 0 |