Sharp-shooting San Ġiljan give Sliema a lesson in man-up sets conversion

San Ġiljan struck a psychological blow on their rivals Sliema to dislodge them from the top spot on the eve of the play-offs.

Off-water polemics were wiped away on Saturday by an encounter which will surely serve as a great advertisement for the local game of waterpolo.

Sliema are indeed an improved side since coach Giannis Katrouzanakis took over, but this encounter proved to be an acid test for them as they failed to make the grade and match their opponents in an intimidating game.

San Ġiljan fired on all cylinders, despite losing their skipper Matthew Zammit early in the match.

San Ġiljan will now face Sirens as Sliema meet arch rivals Neptunes in the semi-finals of the play-offs.

San Ġiljan gave the Blues a lesson in how to convert goals when enjoying numerical advantage. They scored eight out ten, with the conversions coming when it really mattered.

Sliema on their part, looked very much like novices when on man-up situations, having failed on every single occasion from the first four exclusions. They kept messing up their man-up sets to score just three from a total of 13.

Sliema lifted off strongly, taking lead through Liam Galea. But the Saints grabbed their first two man-up opportunities, courtesy of Matthew Zammit.

It was tight marking from both sides, with San Ġiljan basing their game on the break.

Jake Bonavia punished Sliema’s flat-out approach before the deadly Aaron Younger converted a five-metre throw to make it 4-1 for San Ġiljan.

A significant episode late in the first quarter was the expulsion with substitution for aggressive play of Zammit.

San Giljan tried to regroup themselves. They missed their first man-up situation and Sliema fought back and managed to equalise with three goals in quick succession.

The Blues’ failure to convert their fifth numerical advantage (from six man-up situations) was punished by Younger who made it five from six to give his team a 5-4 edge at the end of the first session.

Early in the second session, three quick goals from Younger (2) and Nikolai Zammit put San Ġiljan 8-4 in front but Cannella found the net twice to make it 8-6.

Yet, the way, the Blues were playing never suggested that they could bridge that gap.

Sliema failed to convert any of their two man-ups, with Russell Caruana making it 9-6 on San Ġiljan’s man-up set.

Benji Cachia gave the leaders some hope as they ended the second session 9-7 in arrears.

The pattern did not alter after ends were changed.

Darren Zammit and the infallible Younger extended San Ġiljan’s advantage to four goals.

Sliema recovered partially from their miserable man-up conversation rate when they converted their eighth and ninth man-ups in succession. In between, Dino Zammit beat Jake Tanti with a cute lob as Sliema closed the gap to 11-10.

Yet Sliema’s hopes of going into the last quarter with everything to play for were flattened by two goals without reply from San Ġiljan, one of which by Bonavia who arched a perfect ball behind Nicky Grixti. 

San Ġiljan were definitely putting up better fare as they hit four goals, in between Cannella had made it 14-11.

The 17-12 scoreline by the end of match left no doubt on the fact that San Giljan stamped their authority on the game and finished worthy winners.

Earlier, Valletta finished their Premier Division commitments on high with 10-8 win over Birżebbuġa which, however, does not make up for the disappointment of failing to book a berth in the play-offs.

VALLETTA 10

BIRŻBBUĠA 8

(4-1, 3-3, 3-1, 4-3)

VALLETTA: B. Busuttil, M. Mifsud 3, J. Sciberras 2, S. Busuttil 1, K. Borg 1, M. Zammit 1, I. Nagaev 6, S. Micallef, A. Agius, M. Chircop, K. Cremona, A. Bugeja, C. Mercieca.

SIRENS: M. Sladden, M. Aquilina, N. Cassar, N. Cassar, B. Grech, S. Bezzina, M. Manara 1, A. Barroso 5, M. Cassar, D. Farrugia, M. Cutajar, M. Mannino 1, M. Curmi, S. Livori, D. Incorvaja

Refs: R. Magri , F. Braghini.

SAN ĠILJAN 17

SLIEMA 12

(5-4, 4-3, 4-3, 4-2)

SAN ĠILJAN: J. Tanti, N. Bugelli, D. Tully, R. Caruana 1, A. Younger 7, M. Zammit 2, J. Bonavia 2, A. Formosa, J. Abela 1, N. Zammit 2, D. Zammit 2, N. Schiavone, G. Borg, G. Bonavia.

SLIEMA: N. Grixti, E. Schembri, L. Galea 1, J. Gambin 1, G. Cannella 4, B. Cachia 1, J. Cutajar 2, D. Rizzo, J. Brownrigg 1, A. Galea, Z. Mizzi 1, D. Zammit 1, M. Castillo, J. Cassar.

Refs: D. Bianco, M. Angilleri.

MARSAXLOKK 15

OTTERS          11

(3-3, 6-1, 3-1, 2-6)

MARSAXLOKK: M. Farrugia, M Lanzon, A. Cook, 2 A. Aquilina, T. Agius, J. Valletta 3, R. Spiteri, J. Pawley, R. Galea 2, J. Borg Tabone, F Valera 4, R. Attard, A. Fava 1, S. Mifsud 1.

OTTERS: M. Xerri, M. Bonnici, K. Scicluna, K. Micallef, M. Meli 2, D. Dimech, T. Milne, S. Dimech, L. Dimech 4, P. Smiljevic 5, M. Farrugia, A. Dimech, M. Grech, T. Mifsud.

Refs S. Licari, F. Braghini.