Stompers 12
Overseas Hopleaf 43

As a complete change around from last season it now appears that Overseas are the team to beat.

One of their biggest assets is that they are now the only team to have a regular flyhalf in Sean Duffy, since Satariano, of Stompers, broke his leg in an off-field accident.

Stompers were missing several key players, including Diamantino and Mirabelli, and had to field a very raw side. Jeremy Cassar, however, made a welcome return, after three years, with some superb tackles and good tactical sense, until he inevitably tired out in the second half.

The scoring was opened for Overseas by a typical Greg van Reeven try which Newbould failed to convert.

Stompers hit back through a fine try by Mark Attard, converted by Calleja, to take the lead, which was soon lost again to a Newbould penalty.

Overseas steadily increased their lead with Grant Williams and van Reeven scoring tries and Newbould converting.

At the beginning of the second half Stompers came very close to scoring but the prop held the ball with two men outside him and the chance was wasted.

Van Reeven achieved his hat-trick of tries and Duffy broke from a scrum half position to dive over, Newbould converting both.

Mario Fountain scored one back for Stompers but Calleja failed to convert and then the points total was rounded off by a gift try for Newbould who converted his own effort.

All in all, a good game but Stompers missed their guiding senior players.

Kavallieri 8
Alligators 8

A drawn game in wet conditions as the pitch really deteriorated. Probably Kavallieri would have won in better conditions because the heavyweight Alligators were able to operate an effective spoiling game and the ball was very difficult to handle.

Kavallieri are in dire need of a tactical kicker. They went into the second half eight points behind after a Sullivan try and a Mizzi penalty for Alligators.

However, the old club spirit showed again as Kavallieri dominated the second half for long stretches and whittled down the lead by a Borda try and a Chris Vassallo penalty to make it 8-all by the end.

This was a fair result in a drab affair but a compliment to the two teams for making a match of it... both will be happy to improve their situation.