San Ġiljan delivered a statement of intent, dismantling Neptunes 17-10 in the season’s first high-profile clash, a result that underlined their dominance and left their rivals with plenty of questions.
Few would argue San Ġiljan’s clear edge over Neptunes as the two giants locked horns on Wednesday night.
The Saints emerged as clear winners. The match, watched by a good crowd, confirmed that at this point the Saints are head and shoulders above all their sporting rivals.
Ben Plumpton, scorer of five goals, was back to his old form after last year’s troubled season and was followed closely by Aaron Younger, who struck a nap hand.
The San Ġiljan duo had no peers in striking terms, even if Stevie Camilleri for the Reds also grabbed four, two of which came in the final moments of the proceedings.
Neptunes coach, Aleksandar Ciric had no answer to the tactics of Giorgos Katsaounis.
The Greek mastermind rotated his lineup effectively, even deploying the returning Matthew Zammit in key moments.
The Saints’ skipper marked his comeback with a clinical hat-trick before half-time, his presence clearly lifting the team.
Neptunes were very often five or six goals in arrears as they had a rather sloppy man-up reading.
From the outset, San Ġiljan imposed themselves, racing to a 5-2 lead in the first quarter – though it could have been more had the referees not disallowed two goals by Nikolai Zammit for technical infringements.
The Saints continued to boss proceedings in the second session, outscoring the Reds 4-3 to go into half-time 9-5 up.
Camilleri briefly stirred Neptunes with a quick-fire double before the break, but their poor conversion rate on man-up situations – just two goals from six attempts – proved costly.
Plumpton extended the lead early in the third quarter, with Camilleri replying from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick.
Still, San Ġiljan’s suffocating press in front of goalkeeper Jake Tanti kept Neptunes on the back foot.
With his left arm heavily strapped in a black bandage, Zammit was used sparingly, but Plumpton stepped up in his captain’s stead, netting his fifth goal to maintain the momentum.
Even when Sam Gialanze and Gergo Zalánki narrowed the margin to 11-8, the Saints struck back immediately through Darren Zammit and Younger.
Zalánki’s frustration boiled over when he lingered in protest after a foul, leaving his team exposed. Younger capitalised, scoring from a quick counter before adding another from a five-metre throw to kill off the game as a contest in the fourth session after which the other goals were irrelevant other than for statistical purposes.
Nikolai Zammit cancelled out Alec Fenech’s goal as both players put their names into the scoresheet.
Darren Zammit heaped more misery on Neptunes. Camilleri netted his fourth but Nikolai Zammit made it a final 17-10.
San Ġiljan sent a clear message to the rest of the league: they are the team to beat.
RESULTS
SIRENS 13
EXILES 11
(4-4, 5-2, 3-2, 1-3)
SIRENS: SIRENS: J. Parnis, P. Serracino, N. Bicari 4, P. Borg, J. Cachia 3, K. Agius 1, M. Ortoleva, I. Riolo 1, J. Zerafa Gregory 1, M. Sciberras 1, Z. Mizzi, G. Farrugia 1, M. Bonello Dupius, G. Pace 1.
EXILES: A. Borg Cole, G. Gatt 1, Z. Micallef 1, D. Pace Lupi 1, T. Agius, M. Martelacci, M. Fenech 1, K. Griscti 2, K. Averka 3, K. Tanti, K. Navarro, D. Zahra 2, G. Galea Curmi, L. Hyzler.
Refs: P. Balzan, M. Campora.
SAN ĠILJAN 17
NEPTUNES 10
(5-2, 4-3, 5-3, 3-2 )
SAN ĠILJAN: J. Tanti, D. Bugeja, D. Tully, R. Caruana, A. Younger 4 , M. Zammit 3, J. Bonavia , B. Plumpton 5, J. Abela 1 , N. Zammit 2 , D. Zammit 2 , N. Schiavone, Z. Attard, G. Bonavia.
NEPTUNES: M. Castillo, S. Gialanze 2, G. Zalanki 2, L. Mallia , J. Camilleri , J. Valletta 1 , S. Camilleri 4, M.Castillo , B. Schranz, J. Bajada , A. Fenech 1 , M. Azzopardi, M. Rossi, E. Mallia.
Refs: M. Angilleri, F. Brasiliano.
MARSAXLOKK 18
MARSASKALA 14
(5-3, 7-4, 5-3, 1-4)
MARSAXLOKK: M.Farrugia, M. Lanzon 1, N. Bogdanovic 7, A. Aquilina 1, L. Brownrigg, S. Mifsud 1, J. Pawley, R. Galea 2, J. Borg Tabone 2, A. Fava 2, A. Cook 2, J. Micallef, B. Lewis, R. Spiteri.
MARSASKALA: A. Muscat, D. Ciantar 1, T. Fenech, J. Pace Mizzi 3, J. Simpson, R. Greco, C. Harrison, G. Kovacs 5, K. Grech, G. Sammut, M. Curmi, T. Camilleri 2, L. Gatt, N. Rizzo.
