After going down to Sirens last Friday and conceding third place to the St Paul’s Bay team on the basis of the direct encounters, Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate, were back to winning ways when they defeated Valletta McDonald’s by a three-goal margin in a match which produced 15 goals.

With both sides depleted, the Blues having to do without Jerome Gabarretta, Michael Spiteri Staines and goalkeeper Ryan Coleiro and the City team again missing the services of Charlie Zammit, Sliema managed to overcome their handicap better than their opponents despite showing signs of rustiness when within shooting range.

At least, four-goal Nikola Dedovic made amends for this deficiency, as did John Brownrigg, scorer of a hat-trick.

The first session proved to be vital for Paul Privitera’s team as they built a three-goal advantage on 4-1, a gap that prevailed till the end.

It was mostly balanced in the next three quarters, with Valletta twice coming to within a goal of drawing level.

But each time the Blues extended that lead after they had it clipped down to just one goal early in the last session.

With Karl Galea and Djordje Filipovic each netting a brace Valletta hustled their opponents into a reaction.

But it was a matter of being so near and yet so far for Anthony Farrugia’s lads as two goals from Brownrigg, the last coming one minute from time, secured victory for the Blues and with that hopes of maintaining a push for the title.

Extra player sets produced three on seven for Valletta and four on ten for Sliema.

A ding-dong duel between Ta’ Xbiex Amigos and Marsaxlokk Fischer ended with the southerners pipping Ta’ Xbiex 14-13 to inflict the second defeat on the leaders and in the process move on the 12-point mark.

The lead alternated throughout, with the 5-4 opening session scoreline proving to separate the teams in the end after both sides shared three goals in each of the next three quarters.

The winners owe their victory to four-goal Ivan Vuksanovic, with Milos Korolija, who was fouled out midway through, scoring a hat-trick as did Ranier Scerri.

Mark Kallay was the top scorer for Ta’ Xbiex with a nap-hand.

Summaries

Ta’ Xbiex 13
Marsaxlokk 14

(4-5, 3-3, 3-3, 3-3)

Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, A. Maclari 2, A. Camenzuli 2, G. Attard, M. Kallay 5, K. Mock, J. Galea 1, M. Mifsud, G. Debono 1, E. Gravina, A. Mifsud 1, L, Pace, K. Grima Scott 1.

Marsaxlokk: J. Cremona, C. Spiteri De Barro 2, M. Korolija 3, A. Galea, C. Gialanze 2, C. Bugeja, N. Portelli, I. Vuksanovic 4, A. Zarb Cousin, R. Scerri 3, M. Lanzon, J. Xerri de Caro, J. A. Xuereb.

Referees: S. Licari, F. Tempesta.

Valletta 6
Sliema 9

(1-4, 1-1, 3-2, 1-2)

Valletta: R. Sciortino, O. Zammit, M. Rizzo 1, K. Galea 2, A. Agius, R. Mock, G. Kiss 1, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina, P. Paolella, D. Filipovic 2, D. Camilleri.

Sliema: Z. Sciberras, N. Bugelli, K. Dowling, T. Sullivan, M. Meli, J. Soler, M. Fenech, C. Cluett 1, J. Brownrigg 3, M. Bodegas, A. Attard 1, N. Dedovic 4, M. Muscat.

Referees: R. Spiteri, S. Alfi.

Premier League

  P W D L F A Pts
Neptunes 7 6 0 1 87 54 18
San Giljan 7 6 0 1 79 59 18
Sliema 8 4 1 3 95 81 13
Sirens 7 3 1 3 79 70 10
Valletta 8 2 0 6 70 102 6
Exiles 7 0 0 7 58 102 0

Division One

  P W D L F A Pts
Ta’ Xbiex 7 5 0 2 90 79 15
Marsascala 6 4 0 2 81 68 12
Marsaxlokk 7 4 0 3 99 82 12
Otters 6 0 0 6 53 94 0

Playing today
Division One: 17.45 Otters Nivea vs Marsascala Nutrition Empire.
Premier League: 19.00 Sirens Ritter Sport vs Neptunes Grimaldi; 20.15 Exiles Ferretti vs San Ġiljan Crystal Finance.

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