A superior Sliema Betsson boosted by the Jerome Gabarretta and Marco Cuk tandem, who shared ten goals between them, had Valletta McDonalds under wraps from the very beginning to score a comfortable 15-8 victory and go top of the standings with a game more than Neptunes Grimaldi and San Ġiljan Salini Resort, yesterday.
The result was never in doubt although the City team may not have suffered an early collapse, having been only four goals in arrears towards the end of the third quarter.
It was a match ridden with exclusions, 19 in total, plus three converted penalties, with Valletta having a 40 per cent success and Sliema scoring a third of their nine numerical advantages.
The Blues were in control, with most of their components going into the fray.
Their tight cover in the red zone gave Valletta a harrowing time trying to find space and time for a good shot on target.
Despite scoring four goals, Dmitrii Kholod was well-supervised and as a result Sliema could canter through when winning all quarters and leaving Valletta at more than an arm’s length.
In the earlier match, a flurry of late goals earned Marsascala Nutrition Empire an expected victory over Otters Nivea.
The southerners were always in the lead after conceding an early goal. Their advantage widened to four lengths on 8-4 in the third session before the Gozitan team trimmed the gap to a single goal.
However, Gabor Kovacs’ late hat-trick complemented the four goals netted earlier by Duncan Cassar and the three from Stephen Micallef for a 13-8 win.
Summaries
Otters 8
Marsascala 13
(1-2, 2-4 3-2, 2-5)
Otters: R. Bonnici, M. Borg Millo 1, R. Greco, L. Hyzler 2, K. Scicluna 1, D. Dimech, G. Mizzi, M. Jelaka 3, L. Peric, G. Debono, R. Gauci, M. Borg 1, M. Xerri.
Marsascala: K. Schembri, J.C. Cutajar 1, J. Busuttil, C. Bonello 1, L. Grixti, G. Kovacs 3, J. Cremona 1, S. Micallef 3, M. Pace, D. Cassar 4, O. Zammit, B. Dougall.
Refs: Massimo Angileri, Riccardo Carmignani.
Valletta 8
Sliema 15
(1-4, 3-4, 2-4, 2-3)
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines, D. Spiteri, M. Rizzo 1, A. Mifsud, R. Mock 2, D. Paolella, N. Bonello Ghio, M. Cordina 1, C. Zammit, D. Kholod 4, A. Zarb Cousin, M. Spiteri Staines.
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 5, E. Aquilina 1, C. Cluett 1, K. Dowling 1, J. Soler 2, M. Fenech, J. Gambin, J. Brownrigg, A. Attard, M. Cuk 5, N. Bugelli, Z. Sciberras.
Refs: Mario Dalli, Paolo Bensaia.