Most of the duels between traditional rivals Sliema McDonald's and Neptunes Emirates are destined to be resolved at the wire, the matches regaling the teams' fans with palpitating fare which is usually as skilful as it is physically grinding.
Yesterday's game was of the same irk, with the sharing of the league spoils being earned by the Blues at the death, and not to be outdone the Reds doing likewise with a Steve Camilleri last-gasp goal in extra-time to make the score 12-12.
It was then the penalty lottery which decided the issue with the Blues scoring four times to the Neptunes' three.
At the end of the match, Darlene Zerafa, from the President's office, presented the cup to the Sliema captain Clint Debono.
A smarter Neptunes were well worth their 4-1 lead at the end of the first session. After their early advantage was soon neutralized, they scored three times against opponents who went stringent press.
Sliema improved in the second session and managed to reduce the deficit for a 6-4 lead for the Reds. It was still close press in all parts of the pitch.
With exchanges still balanced in the third and the Blues still applying press tactics to harass their opponents, the match remained in the balance despite the Balluta team always stretching their lead to between two and three goals, only for the Blues to cut down the deficit.
With Neptunes leading 8-6 before the start of the last quarter, the last part of the game was simply nailbiting.
Sliema were determined to make a fight of it till they drop dead. With three minutes to go Neptunes lost a great chance to take a three-goal lead and this let Sliema off the hook. The last seconds saw both teams missing on man-ups but the former Neptunes player Aljosa Kunac scored from eight metres with a fraction of a second left.
It was then on to extra-time with Bogdan Rath, Camilleri, Tamas Molnar, Rath, Camilleri again and Mark Meli trading goals.
After which it was with penalties which resolved the stalemate.
In the first match, Otters Nivea had the last say against an improved Marsaxlokk team to record their second victory in succession.
Neptunes 15
Sliema 16
(4-1, 2-3, 2-2, 1-3; 1-1, 2-2; 3-4 pens)
Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 1, B. Lanzon, M. Stellini, D. Camilleri, V. Vujasinovic 2, S. Camilleri 3+2, J. Camilleri 2, R. Buhagiar, S. Gravina, Z. Mizzi, T. Molnar 1+1, M. Pisani, I. Bugeja, K. Debattista.
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabaretta, N. Lubrano, P. Privitera 1, M. Meli +1, J. Soler 2, D. Paolella 1, J. Brownrigg, C. Debono, A. Kunac 2, M. Rizzo, B. Rath 3+2.
Refs: M. Dalli, D. Bianco.
Marsaxlokk 11
Otters 12
(4-5, 3-2, 1-3, 3-2)
Marsaxlokk: A. Sammut, A. Dekker 2, R. Calleja, D. Pace Lupi 4, M. Paris, K. Hyzler, C. Vang 2, M. Psaila, E. Pisani, C. Gambin, T. Camilleri 1, M. Grima 1.
Otters: A. Sciberras, G. Attard, G. Zammit, R. Zolhar 5, C. Saliba, D. Schembri, K. Mizzi, K. Baco 6, K. Scicluna, K. Martin, A. Arrigo, A. Zammit, K. Grima Scott 1.
Refs: A. De Raffaele, P. Giordano.
Next matches
Tuesday: 6 p.m. Marsaxlokk vs Ta' Xbiex; 7.15 p.m. Otters Nivea vs Marsascala Solid Base Engineering.