Invigorated by the introduction for the first time this year of John Soler and the re-inclusion of Jerome Gabarretta, Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate’s heavier guns downed Neptunes Grimaldi with a late five-goal spurt to put their hopes of winning the 2016 Winter League on an encouraging track.
The Blues’ better take-off, when they took a 4-2 lead in the opening session and extended to 5-2, made for a solid base which had a full-strength side thriving on their opponents’ inability to translate their numerous extra-man sets into goals (the Reds missed ten on 11) even if Sliema showed some deficiencies.
However, the Blues’ repertoire of scorers and experience could not be denied.
Neptunes must be well aware that they have an evident shortfall in maturity and knowhow especially when they are forced to fall on their several youngsters simultaneously as was the case in the last session when they gave up their ghost.
They had bravely chased the scoreline when trimming down that early three-goal deficit to 5-4 with just over five minutes to go.
After that they were deflated when they suffered a posse of goals without further reply.
Indeed, the Blues ended the sporting hostilities as clear masters with Edward Aquilina topping his team’s scorers’ chart.
In an earlier match, four goals scored late in the third session by San Ġiljan put paid to Valletta McDonald’s hopes of keeping up their brave resistance against opponents who had been mostly inconclusive in their finishing in the opening sessions.
The Saints’ opportunism, mainly coming from hat-trick hitter Matthew Zammit, had, in fact, nullified the City team’s diligent game which had Charlie Zammit doing the usual scheming until he was fouled out in the third quarter.
After that San Ġiljan managed to press the accelerator for a clear 11-5 victory to retain their place at the top of the standings.
Summaries
Valletta 5
San Ġiljan 11
(0-1, 1-2, 2-5, 2-3)
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines, A. Agius, M. Rizzo 2, R. Mock, D. Paolella 1, M. Cordina 1, C. Zammit 1, D. Spiteri, M. Spiteri Staines.
San Ġiljan: J. Sammut, P. Borg 2, A. Galea, J. Galea, Darren Zammit, M. Zammit 3, K. Galea, C. Mercieca, B. Plumpton 2, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava 2, Dino Zammit 1, D. Camilleri.
Referees: S. Licari, A. DeRaffaele.
Neptunes 4
Sliema 10
(2-4, 0-1, 1-0, 1-5)
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 2, L. Calleja, M. Lanzon, T. Agius, S. Xerri de Caro, K. Navarro, J. Camilleri 2, J. Abela, M. Zammit, B. Lanzon, M. Azzopardi, M. Castillo.
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 1, E. Aquilina 3, C. Cluett 2, M. Meli 1, J. Soler 1, M. Fenech 1, T. Sullivan, J. Brownrigg, A. Attard 1, M. Mifsud, Z. Sciberras.
Referees: M. Angileri, A. Goncharenko.
ASA U-19 13
Marsascala 5
(5-1, 2-1, 2-1, 4-2)
ASA U-19: M. Muscat, K. Erdogan, J. Culic, J. Sciberras 6, J. Gregory Zerafa, L. Galea, M. Cutajar 2, L. Felice, M. Azzopardi 3, D. Zammit 1, N. Zammit 1, B. Grech, T. Said.
Marsascala: B. Dougall, J.C. Cutajar 2, J. Bajada, K. Cremona, O. Zammit 1, L. Grixti, J. Busuttil, J. Cremona, S. Micallef 1, J. Theuma, D. Cassar, C. Mifsud 1, K. Schembri.
Referees: A. De Raffaele, R. Magri.