This was far from an easy stroll for San Ġiljan Crystal Finance.

Yesterday, Valletta McDonalds made them sweat hard for a place in the final of the BOV KO against Neptunes Grimaldi.

Indeed, it was a stern test for the Saints as they tried to grapple with the City’s team’s stubborness and tactical adroitness. It was touch and go for most of the proceedings as Valletta responded to every ploy by their more quoted opponents.

Their rearguard gave very little away as they stuck to close man-to-man cover with quick convergence on the middle approaches.

Four goals were shared in the first quarter and then San Ġiljan steered clear on 4-2 before Michael Rizzo reduced the gap to 4-3 to follow up the brace from Gergely Kiss.

Keith Galea had opened the Saints’ account, with Guillermo Molina’s two goals preceding one from Paul Fava.

It was still tight even if the un-marked Aurelien Cousin made it 5-3. Valletta fought back to equalise through goals from Djorde Filipovic but Matthew Zammit converted an extra-man set to put his team 6-5 ahead into the last session.

Valletta threatened to draw level but two minutes from the end of the match Fava eased his team’s worries to seal victory by a two-goal margin.

In yesterday’s First Division match, four goals without reply in the last quarter earned Marsascala Nutrition Empire an 11-9 victory over Ta’ Xbiex Amigos, a result that helped the southerners retain their three-point lead over Marsaxlokk Fischer at the top of the table.

As happened very often this season, the side guided by Pierre Borg recovered in that last part of the game after having trailed their opponents all the way, on one occasion in the third session by four goals.

However, conversions by Clyde Bonello and Matyas Pasztor within the last two minutes turned the tide and ousted Ta’ Xbiex from the title race.

Summaries

Valletta 5
San Ġiljan 7

(2-2, 1-2, 2-2, 0-1)

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

San Ġiljan: J. Sammut, P. Borg, A. Galea, B. Vapenski, G. Molina 2, M. Zammit 1, K. Galea 1, Darren Zammit, B. Plumpton, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava 2, Dino Zammit, D. Spiteri.

Referees: R. Spiteri, F. Brasiliano.

Ta’ Xbiex 9
Marsascala 11

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

Ta’ Xbiex Amigos: J. Micallef, A. Maklari 2, A. Camenzuli 3, G. Attard, M. Kallay 1, K. Mock 2, J. Galea, K. Debattista, M. Mifsud, G. Debono, A. Mifsud, L. Pace, E. Gravina 1.

Marsascala Nutrition Empire: K. Schembri, J.C. Cutajar 2, B. Dougall, C. Bonello 1, B. Torok 3, L. Grixti, K. Navarro, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef, M. Pasztor 3, D. Cassar 1, C. Mifsud, M. Pace.

Referees: P. Balzan, L. Barletta.

First Division

Next fixtures
Tuesday: Premier – 18.15 Sirens vs Exiles; 19.30 San Giljan vs Sliema.