A spirited Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate, also galvanised by their new coach Dejan Milakovic, made sure of a Championship Pool place when earning a point against Neptunes Grimaldi after Sirens Ritter Sport lost against San Giljan Crystal Finance in the previous match.

With 12 seconds left, new signing Kai Dowling levelled matters thanks to his second goal after the Reds had at last overturned the scoreline with Steve Camilleri’s fourth strike from a rebound off an unconverted penalty by Peter Biros two minutes from the end.

Sliema had been in the driving seat and twice led by three goals in the second and third sessions. Their uncompromising press and solid cover at the back with a fit and steady Ryan Coleiro in goal stood out in the first part of the game.

Neptunes, with a below par Biros used sparingly after he had been on two exclusions in the first sessions, seemed rattled.

Michael Bodegas and John Soler, who each scored twice, were looking constantly threatening when the Blues had possession.

However, the Reds came back to annul the deficit and make it 7-7 through Ivan Krapic late in the third session after Steve Camilleri notched three goals. He then added a fourth in the last quarter to put his team in front for the first time after the hard-working Mercieca had equalised on 8-8.

It was touch and go in those final moments. Neptunes’ lead was eventually nullified when Dowling had the final say to at least salvage his team’s pride with a place in the top pool.

For the record, Neptunes netted six on ten extra player sets with Sliema managing only three from as many sets.

Leaders San Ġiljan were made to fight hard for maximum points against Sirens when they won by the odd goal in 15, a result that put the Saints at the summit of the table.

A feature of this closely-contested duel was the comeback of Bogdan Rath’s team in the second session which they won 4-1, as well as San Giljan’s equally emphatic reply in the third part of the game when winning it by three clear goals.

Marko Orlovic had his team recovering from 5-3 down to edge 6-5 in front late in the third session.

Sirens’ five on eight conversion reading on man-ups was not matched by their opponents who managed only three on 11. But the Saints were superior on their scoring rate when the sides were numerically at par.

However, three-goal Boris Vapenski managed to lift his side in crucial moments, while Csaba Kiss, who also scored a hat-trick, was not enough to save Sirens.

The Saints twice led by two goals in the last session but a brace from Kiss, who sandwiched Aurelien Cousin’s strike in the final quarter, left San Ġiljan in front.

Exiles Ferretti ended the first phase of the championship trek on a bright note when they obtained their first win of the season after they beat Valletta McDonald’s 8-7.

Maurizio Mirarchi’s team are to be commended when battling hard to annul a three-goal deficit which matured in the first session. They then managed to win the next three.

Their spirited play coincide with the City team’s shortcomings especially when they lost five on seven extra player set-pieces.

On their part, Exiles’ five on nine boosted their cause as did Marco Cuk’s hat-trick, followed up by a brace from Kayne Lanzon.

In the final reckoning Exiles also owed their success to good teamwork backed by a generally steady Ian Bugeja in goal.

Exiles 8
Valletta 7

(2-5, 3-1, 2-1, 1-0)

Exiles: I. Bugeja, L. Peric, S. Vassallo 1, D. Pace Lupi 1, R. Blary, J. Spiteri Staines, S. Gravina 1, K, Grixti, D. Abela, A. Bianchi, M. Cuk 3, P. Paris, K. Lanzon 2.

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

Referees: P. Balzan and M. Piano.

San Ġiljan 8
Sirens 7

(2-1, 1-4, 3-0, 2-2)

San Ġiljan: J. Sammut, P. Borg 1, A. Galea, B. Vapenski 3, G. Molina 1, M. Zammit 1, K. Galea, Darren Zammit, B. Plumpton, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava, Dino Zammit 1, D. Spiteri.

Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi, C. Presciutti 2, G. Pace, M. Grech, C. Kiss 3, M. Caruana, D. Cutajar, J. Napier, E. Aquilina 1, L. Caruana 1, A. Sammut, J. Sciberras.

Referees: M. Dalli and V. Frauenfeider.

Neptunes 9
Sliema 9

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

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 1, M. Stellini 1, T. Agius, I. Krapic 1, S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri 1, L. Calleja, P. Biros, B. Lanzon, S. Xerri de Caro, C. Mercieca 1.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta, K. Dowling 2, T. Sullivan, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 2, M. Spiteri Staines 1, N. Bugelli, J. Brownrigg, M. Bodegas 2, A. Attard, N. Dedovic 1, Z. Sciberras.

Referees: M. Angileri and M. Piano.

Premier League

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
San Giljan	9	8	0	1	106	78	24
Neptunes	9	7	1	1	108	69	22
Sliema	9	4	2	3	104	90	14
Sirens	9	3	1	5	92	90	10
Valletta	9	2	0	7	77	110	6
Exiles	9	1	0	8	78	128	3