After losing their first match against San Giljan Tum Invest, Neptunes Leo Vegas had an easy outing against Valletta who on their part were losing their second consecutive match.
The Citizens were an improved side compared to their first game against Sirens.
However they could not resist the task provided of a Neptunes side who had Jordan Camilleri in tremendous form.
The exchanges had been early on until Jordan Camilleri struck three consecutive goals in the third session and Stephen Rizzo’s men were out of the race.
It was Neptunes who took the lead from a man up situation thanks to Romain Blary.
After some good saves by Ryan Sciortino in the Valletta goal, Michael Cordina equalised for the Citizens.
With 42 seconds to go, Jordan Camilleri gave Neptunes the lead again.
In the second session after barely a minute James Spiteri Staines made it 2-2. Yet, seconds later Jordan Camilleri restored Neptunes he lead with Jeremy Abela making it 4-2.
Now it was all Neptunes with Steve Camilleri making it 5-2 from a penalty and Sean Gravina adding another one with a long-range effort.
Former San Ġiljan player Boris Vapenski scored for Valletta to make it 6-3.
Niki Lanzon gave a four goal advantage in the beginning of the third session for Zoran Maslovar’s side with Blary and later on Jordan Camilleri with a hat-trick making it a one-way traffic for Neptunes.
In the last session Vapenski scored for Valletta while Jeremy Abela responded for Neptunes. It was himself again who made the score 5-13.
Abela responded again for Neptunes and Steve Camilleri later on as the goals flourished.
Paolella and Vapenski twice scored for Valletta with the game now over. Steve Camilleri made it 16-8 for Neptunes with Blary adding another late on.
Valletta 8
Neptunes Leo Vegas 17
(1-2, 2-4, 0-5, 5-6 )
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines 1, A. Agius, M. Rizzo, M. Fenech, R. Mock, D. Paolella 1, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina 1, B. Vapenski 5, K. Galea, A. Mifsud, F. Buhagiar.
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 1, T. Agius, K. Erdogan, R. Blary 3, S. Gravina 1, S. Camilleri 4, J. Camilleri 5, J. Abela 3, M. Zammit, N. Zammit, M. Azzopardi, I. Bugeja.
Referees: Ronnie Spiteri, Thomas Pagani.
Ta’ Xbiex TXB Amigos 5
Birżebbuġa 10
(1-0, 1-3, 2-2, 1-5)
Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, M.Pullicino, C. Farrugia, B. Sziranyi, K. Mock 1, E. Gravina 2, M. Pace, G. Debono, R. Attard 2.
Birżebbuġa: D. Abela, M. Manara 1, S. Mora 5, D. Pace Lupi 1, A. Camenzuli, A.Sammut 1, S. Vassallo 1, N. Cassar, G. Farrugia, M. Caruana, K. Rizzo Naudi 1, O. Zammit, D. Spiteri.
Referees: Alex De Raffaele, Thomas Pagani.
In the lower division match B’Buġia deserved their victory against Ta’Xbiex although it was in the last session that they sealed the issue with three consecutive goals.
It was Gravina who put Ta’Xbiex ahead in the first session, the only goal of the first period with both sides playing a pressing game.
Marco Risso side improved in the second session and managed to turn the tables.
B’Buġia had the edge in the second session with ther goals coming corutesy to Andrew Sammut and a Sergi Mora brace, the second one from a penalty. Ta’Xbiex goal came from Reinhardt Attard.
In the third session Spaniard Sergi Mora scored a personal third but seconds later Reinhardt Attard again reduced the arrears for Keith Grima Scott side. Mora from a penalty again gave a two goal lead to B’Buġia minutes later. But with 47 seconds left Gravina hit a bounce ball to again come within reach of his opponents.
Simon Vassallo hit home a sixth for his side as the game continued at the same pace with Ta’ Xbiex running after their opponents. With 3.51 seconds to go David Pace Lupi made it 7-4 but soon later Kurt Mock scored for Ta’Xbiex. Sergi Mora, Karl Rizzo Naudi and Malcolm Manara made it 10-5 to seal the issue.