After running San Ġiljan Tum Invest and Neptunes very close recently Sirens went one better when they deservedly beat Sliema Frank Salt 7-6 while the Saints were made to wait till deep into the third session to finally pull clear for a 12-6 victory and thus extend their lead at the top of the standings.
In the lower division match Marsascala Trascripta beat bottom team Ta’ Xbiex Amigos 11-4 to conserve the second position in the table. In the big match of a late evening , Sirens underlined their recent improvement when beating Sliema in masterful tactical fashion.
The team from the north were deserved winners, if anything for annihilating the threat of Sliema’s renowned Guglielmo Molina and then denying the Blues from staging a late rally after very often having been two goals ahead.
Their work was almost undone when they missed the last three crucial extraman sets which prevented them from at least taking a three-goal advantage.
But then so did Bogdan Rath’s lads when they messed up a vital set-piece after Sirens had a man sent off in the final seconds. Christian Cluett, who is blossoming into a deadly scorer, managed a hat-trick but his efforts were in vain.
An improved Valletta side kept chasing San Ġiljan for most of the match with only one length separating the teams until late into the penultimate session.
Then the seemingy below tone Saints, who paraded their promising young goalie Thomas Micallef, found their scoring rhythm in the final stages to win comfortably. Aurelien Cousin had been their chief goal-getter with four strikes.
The City side had their resources drained especially after Michael Cordina had been fouled out in the second session to be followed by the definite dismissal of Boris Vapenski late in the third quarter.
The ex-San Ġiljan player paid the price as he very often had to do covering duties at the back.
San Ġiljan 12
Valletta 6
(1-1, 4-2, 3-2, 4-1)
San Ġiljan: J. Tanti, P. Borg 1, A. Galea 1, B. Grech, J. Galea, M. Zammit 1, B. Plumpton 2, D. Zammit, A. Ivocic 2, A. Cousin 4, P. Fava 1, D. Zammit, T. Micallef.
Valletta: R. Sciortino, J. Spiteri Staines, A. Agius, M. Rizzo, M. Fenech 2, R. Mock 1, D. Paolellea 1, N. Ghio Bonello, M. Cordina, B. Vapenski 2, K. Galea, D. Fenech, A. Mifsud.
Referees: D. Coluccio, R. Spiteri.
Sliema 6
Sirens 7
(1-1, 0-2, 3-3, 2-1)
Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabaretta 2, E. Aquilina 1, C. Cluett 3, G. Molina, K. Dowling, M. Spiteri Staines, M. Mifsud, J. Gambin, M. Meli, Z. Mizzi, N. Bugelli, Z. Sciberras.
Sirens: N. Grixti, J. Gregory Zeraga, C. Presciutti 2, J. Sciberras, M. Grech 1, I. Riolo, C. Mercieca 1, D/ Cutajar, J. Napier 1, J. Brownrigg 2, L. Caruana, J. Ciantar, O. Gauci.
Referees: M. Dalli, M. Luciani.
Marsaskala 11
Ta’ Xbiex 4
(2-0, 2-1, 3-2, 4-1)
Marsaskala: K. Schembri, J. Cutajar, N. Farrugia, G. Borg, A. Vlahovic 4, L. Grixti 1, K. Navarro 1, J. Busuttil 1, S. Micallef 1, M. Agius, D. Cassar 2, M. Cutajar 1, B. Dougall.
Ta’ Xbiex: J. Micallef, M. Pace 1, B. Sziranyi, E. Carabott, C. Farrugia, K. Mock 1, K. Tanti, E. Gravina, L. Saliba, M. Pullicino, R. Attard 2, N. Saliba, L. Pace.
Referees: M. Angilleri, M. Luciani.