San Ġiljan picked the spoils in dramatic fashion when they pipped their arch-rivals Neptunes 10-9 in a thrilling duel.
The volte-face arrived late in the third session when Nikolai Zammit broke the stalemate to edge San Ġiljan ahead before the start of the last session.
It had been a very close affair as the Saints responded every time Neptunes took a one-goal lead.
In the opening session, San Ġiljan fought all the way when they fell behind by two goals as they managed to level the score on two-all at the end of the first session.
Neptunes took an early lead through goals by Mark Castillo and Jake Bajada.
It was perfect equilibrium all along.
San Ġiljan again twice fell behind before they drew level each time.
Steve Camilleri made it 3-2 before Nikolai Zammit’s brace, the second on set play, sandwiching Sam Gialanze’s goal.
Ben Plumpton put San Ġiljan in front for the first time but Gialanze restored the equilibrium again as the teams changed ends on 5-5.
Two penalties, one on each side, converted by Camilleri and Zammit, kept the balance.
Plumpton made it 7-6 for San Ġiljan before Camilleri hit a powerful shot which was too hot to handle for the Saints defence.
Zammit finally broke the stalemate, to edge San Giljan 8-7 at the end of the third session.
It was still everything to play for in the final quarter, especially after Jordan Camilleri scored to make it 8-8.
Nico Schiavone’s excellent shot put San Ġiljan in the lead midway through the last session.
Crucially, Zammit completed a poker to give Zelko Kovacic’s side a two-goal cushion. Julian Valletta threw a lifeline with two minutes to go.
In the first match, Biżebbuġa pipped Exiles in the last session in a close encounter.
It was a tight contest all the way even if goals were hard to come by.
Exiles started losing their grip on the proceedings even if they still maintained a 5-4 advantage until the last session.
Then, goals from Mikhael Cutajar and Miguel Curmi turned the balance in the Southseasiders’ favour.
In the second encounter, Valletta although playing without Ivan Nagaev, completed the scoring formalities against Marsaskala winning by 18 goals to eight.
The chasm between the two sides was evident from the outset as the Citizens netted six times in both opening sessions.
In the third session, Marsaskala trimmed the deficit to 13-5.
But there was no respite from Valletta as they kept whipping away the goals to make it an emphatic victory.
RESULTS
VALLETTA 18
MARSASKALA 8
(6-0, 6-2, 1-3, 5-3)
VALLETTA
A. Bugeja, M. Mifsud 2, M. Carani1 , J. Sciberras 2, S. Busuttil 2, Z. Cutajar Licari, M. Zammit 1, K. Borg 4, K. Erdogan, M. Chircop 4, K. Cremona 1, G. Borg, L. Hyzler 1.
MARSASKALA
A. Muscat, D. Ciantar, T. Fenech 2, J. Pace Mizzi 2, J. Simpson, R. Greco 2, M. Agius, C. Harrison 1, K. Grech, E. Bilgin, J. Colombo 1, L. Gatt, Z. Campbell.
Refs: D. Tully, M. Angilleri.
BIRZEBBUĠA 6
EXILES 5
(3-1, 0-3, 1-1, 2-0)
BIRZEBBUĠA
M. Sladden, M. Aquilina 2, M. Cassar, D. Incorvaja, S. Bezzina, M. Manara, J. Abdilla, N. Saliba, D. Farrugia 1, M. Cutajar 2, I. Galea, M. Curmi 1, S. Livori, J. Saliba.
EXILES
A. Borg Cole, G. Gatt 3, Z. Micallef, M. Martellaci 1, M. Paris Doding, M. Fenech, K. Griscti, M. Naudi, K. Tanti, K. Navarro 1, L. Felice, G. Galea Curmi.
NEPTUNES 9
SAN ĠILJAN 10
(2-2, 3-3, 2-3, 2-2)
NEPTUNES
M. Castillo, M. Lanzon, S. Gialanze 2, L. Mallia, J. Camilleri, J. Valletta 1, S. Camilleri 3, M. Castillo 1, J. Pawley, J. Bajada 1, A. Fava, E. Mallia, M. Farrugia, R. Spiteri
SAN ĠILJAN
M. Xerri, N. Bugelli, D. Tully 1, G. Bonavia, R. Caruana, L. Dimech, J. Bonavia 1, B. Plumpton 2, J. Abela, N. Zammit 5, N. Schiavone 1, Z. Attard, N. Bonavia
Refs: A. DeRaffaele, R. Spiteri.
