Sirens Ritter Sports 9
Marsascala 7
(1-2) (2-1) (2-1) (4-3)

The opening match from the 2009 BOV League saw Sirens finding the going tough against an improved Marsascala side and it was only in the last session that they made sure of the points.

Tactically Marsascala played wisely and their defence was superb, blocking several shots as Sirens were found wanting in man-up situations.

Anthony Farrugia's Marsascala forged ahead through goals from Gabor Suti and Botond Szabo but veteran Charles Zammit reduced the arrears just before the end of the session.

Sirens came back strongly in the second period and Italian Massimo Celia equalised before Anthony Galea gave the St Paul's Bay team the lead for the first time in the match. But Marsascala's never-say-die attitude was still showing and Suti made it 3-3.

Suti scored a beauty in the third session only for Cuban Amaury Perez to level matters again and Juergen Borg putting Sirens in front 5-4.

At the start of the fourth session, both sides scored two goals each with Perez and David Cutajar on the mark for Sirens and Szabo and Glenn Ghirxi replying for the southerners.

The inspirational Perez made it 8-6 and with 47 seconds left Cutajar sealed the issue for Sirens.

Stephen Micallef's goal came too late in the day for brave Marsascala to save the match.

Sirens: J. Sammut, A. Perez (3), A. Galea (1), P. Privitera, T. Debono, R. Mock, J. Borg (1), D. Cutajar (2), A. Attard, C. Zammit (1), C. Mercieca, A. Celia (1), J. Cremona.

Marsascala: I. Bugeja, P. Borg, J.C. Cutajar, M. Borg, G. Ghirxi (1), L. Grixti, J. Licari, J. Cremona, S. Micallef (1), R. Cutajar, B. Szabo (2), G. Suti (3), S. Farrugia.

Referees: Ivan Sciriha, Alex DeRaffaele.

Exiles 7
Neptunes Vodafone 13
(1-2) (4-3) (1-4) (1-4)

Neptunes Vodafone, this summer coached by Italian Paolo Malara, were given a good run for their money by an improving Exiles side.

The main protagonists of this match were five-goal Frenchman Aurelein Cousin, of Exiles, and Italian Loenardo Sottani, who scored four times for Neptunes.

Neptunes started the match with Ryan Sciortino in goal instead of Nicky Gouder, and the young lad had a very good match.

Exiled battled bravely until half-time but then ran out of stamina as Neptunes made full use of their experience to clinch the points.

Bad news for the Reds is that they had Serbian Aljosa Kunac injured in the first session and could not continue the match.

The game was still 5-5 at the end of the second session but Neptunes ran riot in the third with Sottani scoring two fine goals, one of which from half-pitch.

The Italian was under tight scrutiny in the last session but team-mate Karl Galea took over scoring three times in the process and four overall.

Exiles: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi, K. Rizzo Naudi, D. Pace Lupi (1), T. Sullivan, S. Cini, R. Chokmahidze, K. Griscti, A. Zarb Cousin, A. Cousin (5), S. Vassallo, K. Enriquez, M. Calleja (1).

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon, T. Agius, K. Galea (4), E. Cachia, R. Sciortino, S. Camilleri (1), J. Camilleri, A. Kunac, S. Gravina, L. Sottani (4), M. Stellini (1), M. Pisani (3).

Referees: M. Angilleri, M. Dalli.

Sliema McDonald's 12
Marsaxlokk 2
(4-0, 3-0, 5-0, 0-2)

Champions Sliema McDonald's had an easy ride over Marsaxlokk in a preliminary round mismatch.

Sergio Afric rotated his men throughout the match as the Blues won emphatically with little challenge coming from the southseasiders.

Young Jerome Gabaretta is one to watch for the future while John Soler showed his true mettle by banging in four goals.

Marsaxlokk had goalkeeper Edward Arrigo producing some fine saves to keep the score to a minimum.

Sliema relaxed in the last session as Marsaxlokk, managed by Ian Azzopardi, grabbed a couple of goals thanks to Rheinhard Attard and Charles Bugeja to get on the scoresheet.

Sliema: J. Cachia, J. Gabaretta (2), N. Lubrano, R. Fodor (1), M. Meli, J. Soler (4), D. Paolella, J. Spiteri Staines, C. Debono (1), J. Valletta (2), M. Rizzo (1), O Frick, R. Colero, M. Spiteri Staines (1), M. Cordina

Marsaxlokk: E. Arrigo, G. Attard, R. Calleja, A. Xuereb, M. Buttigieg, C. Bugeja (1), A. Farrugia, E. Bonello, K. Grima Scott, R. Attard (1).

Referees: P. Balzan, M. Caruana.

Next fixtures

Tuesday: 6 p.m. Sliema vs Exiles; 7.30 p.m. Sirens vs Marsaxlokk.

Euro 'B' Championships

Malta was drawn in Group B for September's European 'B' Championships in Lugano, Switzerland.

The national team was paired with Holland, Switzerland, Poland, Georgia and Great Britain.

Group A will be composed of Turkey, Belarus, Ukraine, Slovenia, Denmark and France.