As expected, leaders San Giljan Tum invest bagged the points at the expense of Exiles Jetfreight when beating them 11-8 in what turned out to be a closer contest than anticipated.
The Saints’ clan may argue that although they had all their cylinders available the firing was not all that powerful. But then they had to contend with gritty opponents who never yielded the proverbial inch after going 4-1 behind in the first part of the game. San Giljan also had to face the threat of Slobodan Nikic which they could not quite smother as the Serb helped himself to a nap-hand of goals, some of which were of the highest order. Exiles’ other conversions came from Michele Stellini and Luca Felice.
Furthermore, coach Marko Orlovic would point out that his charges lacked the usual gloss when they had a man extra, netting only one out of seven sets. Not that Exiles fared better when they converted a solitary goal from six man-ups.
All in all the Saints’ edge resulted from a wider array of scorers which had six men on their list. The returning Andreas Galea and Aleksandar Ivovic each landed a hat trick, with two goals from Dino Zammit and the others coming from Peter Borg, Matthew Zammit and Aurelien Cousin.
As it turned out the initial three-goal gap between the sides remained throughout except for brief periods in the last session.
But at the end of the day San Giljan must have been happy to overcome gallant opponents. When the match between Birzebbuga and Otters Nivea was over, Erik Valter could not mask a little smile of satisfaction after as his boys patted his back for guiding his Gozitan side to an 8-5 victory over the south seasiders.
The result has put them on the four-point mark. Otters had overturned a three-goal early deficit to put victory within sight early in the fourth session. Marko Jelaka’s poker boosted his team towards a deserved victory which was also the result of good teamwork ably marshalled by veteran Charlie Zammit.
BOV Premier Division
Exiles 8
San Ġiljan 11
(1-4, 3-3, 0-1, 4-3)
Exiles: M. Castillo, J. Rizzo Naudi, D. Borg Millo, M. Stellini 2, T. Sullivan, S. Xerri De Caro, N. Slobodan 5, K. Griscti, N. Paris, A. Bianchi, J. Bajada, L. Felice 1, G. Ciappara.
San Giljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg 1, A. Galea 3, T. Said, J. Galea, M. Zammit 1, B. Plumpton, D. Zammit, A. Ivovic 3, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava, D. Zammit 2, T. Micallef.
Referees: S. Licari, A. Pascucci.
BOV First Division
Birżebbuga 5
Otters 8
(2-0, 1-1, 0-4, 2-3)
Birżebbuga: D. Abela, M. Manara 1, S. Mora 1, D. Pace Lupi 2, A. Camenzuli, A. Sammut, S. Vassallo 1, N. Cassar, G. Farrugia, M. Caruana, K. Rizzo Naudi, N. Camenzuli, D. Spiteri.
Otters: J. Sammut, M. Borg Millo, A. Magri, L. Hyzler 1, E. Meli 2, D. Dimech, G. Mizzi, M. Jelaka 4, M. Paris, C. Zammit, M. Borg 1, C. Teuma, M. Xerri.
Referees: R. Spiteri, A. Guarracino.