Neptunes Emirates 15

Exiles Jet Services 7

(4-3)(4-1)94-1)(3-2)



The first game of the season resulted in a romp for the Neptunes outfit, outlining their strength and intentions for this season. They paraded their two new foreign signings, both Hungarians, Miklos Gor Nagy and Tamas Molnar, and both of them helped themselves to hat tricks.

There was also the hungry Steve Camilleri, netting six goals. Neptunes only had a single man up occasion, and converted it. In goal, the Emirates side had Ian Bugeja in the last session, a replacement for Ryan Sciortino, now on loan to Marsascala, along with two other players.

Exiles had Frenchman, Aurelien Cousin, back once more, and netting on four occasions. There was also the Romanian, Cosmin Florin Bonca, who has still to open his scoring account. John Paris has returned to his first love, and returning to active play. In the man up situation Exiles did not fare well, netting only twice on nine occasions.

Neptunes ran into a 4-1 lead, in the opening session, before being pulled back by two late Exiles’ goals, taking a single goal advantage to the second period. From then on it was plain sailing for Neptunes, as they increased their lead till the interval, and going on to an 8-4 score, halfway through the match.

They repeated the dose in the third session, as the two foreigners, along with the Maltese, continued to put more distance between the two sides. Neptunes eased off alittle in the final period, allowing Exiles more space, to grab two more goals, for a slightly better score.

Neptunes: N. Gouder, N. Lanzon 2, B. Lanzon, M. Stellini, D. Camilleri, S. Gravina, S. Camilleri 6, J. Camilleri 1, B. Buhagiar, M. Gor Nagy 3, Z. Mizzi, T. Molnar 3, M. Pisani, I. Bugeja, K. Debattista

Exiles: A. Borg Cole, J. Rizzo Naudi, K. Rizzo Naudi, C. Florin Bonca, T. Sullivan, M. Calleja, J. Paris 2, K. Grixti, J. Fenech, A. Cousin 4, S. Vassallo, S. Cini, K. Lanzon 1, A. Cachia

Referees: M. Dalli, R. Spiteri



Sliema McDonalds 17

Marsascala Solid Base 6

(4-2)(6-2)(4-2)(3-0)

Champions, Sliema, had a similar outing, against Marsascala, as they began their defence of the title. Their two foreigners, had already turned out for them before, the Italian, Bogdan Rath, last season, and Hungarian, Robert Kovacs, a few years before. Together with John Soler, these three stalwarts grabbed the major share of the Sliema goals, as the champions won all of their four sessions. Sliema also fared well with an extra player in the water, scoring five times from a totals of seven man ups.

Marsascala had a changed side, with Ryan Sciortino in goal, along with Timmy Agius and Gabriel Pace, from Neptunes, and also had their two foreigners, Hungarian, Botond Szabo, from last season, and Milos Koralji from Serbia, in his first season in Malta.

Marsascala have to do better in future, when a player up, as they only netted once from five man ups.

Sliema found decent opposition in the opening period, as Marsascala replied twice, when the champions went 4-2 ahead, but in the second period Sliema after being pulled just a goal in front, replied in style, with three goals in just over a minute, and went on to lead 10-4 at the interval.

Sliema then put Alex Bianchi in goal for the rest of the match, as they continued to increase their lead, although Marsascala still put in their share of goals, but these dried up in the final session, when the champions managed to score three times without any reply. Marsascala also gave a small outing to Steve Farrugia in goal, midway through this last quarter.

Sliema: R. Coleiro, J. Gabarretta 2, N. Lubrano 1, P. Privitera 1, M. Meli 1, J. Soler, D. Paolella, M. Spiteri Staines, C. Debono, R. Kovacs 5, M. Rizzo, B. Rath 3, A. Bianchi

Marsascala: R. Sciortino, JC Cutajar, B. Szabo 2, M. Koralji 1, M. Borg Spiteri, L. Grixti, J. Licari 1, J. Cremona, S. Micallef, T. Agius, R. Attard 1, G. Pace 1, J. Bonnici , S. Farrugia

Referees: P. Balzan, A. De Raffaele