The qualities of Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate are well-known. However, the convincing way they dismantled equally valid opponents yesterday as the Winter League resumed suggested there are bright prospects for them this year.

San Ġiljan All Care Insurance may not have been in good shape, especially with Matthew and Dino Zammit tightly marked throughout but the Blues, for whom five-goal Mark Meli was in vintage striking form, had a marked edge in both the defensive and offensive phases.

It was all Sliema after the first session as their opponents were unable to exploit most of their man-up set play, including a penalty which could have reduced the leeway to 4-2 at the halfway mark.

Paul Privitera saw his team gradually build their advantage to 8-2 by the end of the penultimate session.

With the Saints resigned to defeat, the Blues could then amble through to register a surprisingly sound win and send a clear message of their intentions this year.

It was certainly not a reassuring match for winter title holders Neptunes Emirates as they faced a spirited Sirens Ritter Sport in the second match of the morning.

The Balluta team’s strength was wafer-thin as they relied mainly on their five core players with their high point coming in the second session when they all but sealed the result in their favour.

Definite expulsions for Michele Stellini and Jordan Camilleri well before the end of the match dented the team’s chances of building on their lead which, at given moments in the third and fourth sessions, was extended to six goals

Clint Mercieca and Jordan Camilleri’s three goals and a brace each from Niki Lanzon and Stellini gave the team that good cushion before the promising Marc Grech’s poker helped the northerners trim down the leeway to respectable proportions.

Before the match, ASA president Joe Caruana Curran presented cups and medals to the winners of the U-17, U-15 and U-13 winter league competitions. These were, Sliema, San Ġiljan and Neptunes respectively.

Summaries

San Ġiljan 4
Sliema 11

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

San Ġiljan: D. Camilleri, C. Spiteri Debarro 1, A. Galea, K. Galea 1, K. Dowling, M. Zammit 1, K. Galea, A. Bianchi, B. Plumpton, J.C. Cutajar, P. Fava 1, Dino Zammit, Darren Zammit.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 3, N. Lubrano, T. Sullivan, M. Meli 5, J. Soler 1, J. Borg 1, C. Cluett, J. Brownrigg, A. Attard 1, Andrea Agius, N. Bugelli, K. Schembri.

Referees: A. DeRaffaele, P. Balzan.

Neptunes 11
Sirens 8

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

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 2, G. Mizzi, M. Stellini 2, T. Agius, M. Lanzon, K. Navarro, J.Camilleri 3, A. Zarb Cousin 1, L. Calleja, K. Debattista, S. Xerri De Caro, C. Mercieca 3.

Sirens: N. Grixti, Z. Mizzi 2, M. Agius, G. Pace 1, M. Grech 4, A. Sammut, M. Caruana, J. Napier, J. Sciberras, L. Caruana 1, G. Busuttil, M. Pisani.

Referees: M. Angileri, S. Licari.

Next fixtures
Friday: 6.45pm Marsascala vs Otters; 8pm ASA U-19 vs Sliema.
Saturday: 2.15pm Ta’ Xbiex vs Marsaxlokk; 3.30pm Exiles vs Sirens; 4.45pm Neptunes vs San Ġiljan.

Premier Division