Birkirkara Smart Office Supplies won the derby against Birkirkara Go & Fun to end the first round of the mixed teams league on full points.

However, it was not an easy outing for the leaders as Go & Fun didn’t go down without a fight.

In fact, they took the early lead by winning the mixed doubles as Klara O’Berg/Stefan Salomone found little trouble in overcoming Marica Micallef and Samuel Cali 21-14, 21-11.

Song Chen Jun then raised his team’s hopes of upsetting the league favourites.

He claimed the singles at the expense of Stephen Ferrante who committed too many unforced errors, thus handing Chen Jun a relatively easy 21-12, 21-14 win.

Seeing the match slipping from their hands, Birkirkara Smart Office Supplies had to react to win the match.

Fiorella Sadowski halved the deficit by taking the women’s singles. The national champion was too strong for Jacqueline Abela DeGiovanni who, despite a worthy effort, eventually had to surrender 21-11, 21-13.

Go & Fun once again failed to close the match as the duo formed by Cali/Ferrante beat Stefan and Ivan Salomone in a thrilling doubles 22-20, 21-19.

With the score standing at 2-2, the women’s doubles would de-cide the winners.

The first set was yet another close battle with the two pairs staying neck and neck till the last points.

In the end, the more experienced Micallef/Sadowski managed to claim the set over Abela DeGiovanni/O’Berg 21-19.

That seemed to boost Micallef/Sadowski as they completed the comeback for their team, 21-13.

After this win, Birkirkara Smart Office Supplies now seem on the right track to retain the title for yet another season.