San Giljan Salini Resort 6 Neptunes Grimaldi 5(2-0, 1-2, 2-1, 1-2)
San Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg 3, A. Galea , B. Vapenski 1, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca , B. Plumpton, A. Cousin 1,P. Fava , D. Zammit 1, D. Camilleri
Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon 1, C. Radu , M. Cutajar , T. Agius 1,S. Camilleri 1, K. Erdogan , J. Abela 1, M. Zammit 1, B. Lanzon ,M. Azzopardi , M. Castillo
Referees: M. Dalli, D. Rotondano
The Saints added another honour, after the Winter league title, beating Neptunes 6-5 in the President’s Cup. That makes it four consecutive honours, after the double won last season. They now need another double to emulate the Sliema side that managed to win all the four honours in one season, in the 1990s, but the Saints are well on their way to achieve this end.
They had the better of a fighting Neptunes outfit, who were missing Jordan Camilleri, and had youngsters in the water also managing to score. The Saints were never behind, but Neptunes twice tied the score, only for San Giljan to net the winning goal in the last session and hold on to win this honour.
The Saints retained one of the two foreigners they had last season, the Serbian Boris Vapenski, whilst Neptunes opted for a new face, Romanian Cosmin Radu, who was well marshalled throughout the match. The only player to net more than one goal was the Saints’ Peter Borg, who scored a hat trick, with all the other strikes coming from different players on both sides.
San Giljan opened well to take a double lead in the opening session, through Borg and Dino Zammit. They added another goal, again by Borg in the second period, but Neptunes came back with a brace from Niki Lanzon and Jeremy Abela, for a 3-2 score in favour of the champions at the interval.
After the break Steve Camilleri quickly had Neptunes on level terms, but the Saints went ahead again, with a Vapenski strike, with Borg’s third goal putting them two in front. In the final session Neptunes fought back, and Timmy Agius and young Miguel Zammit strikes again had both teams level. It was left to Aurelien Cousin to net the winning goal for the champions. There was still time left, but no more goals were registered, with the Saints keeping their noses in front till the end.
Both sides didn’t fare at all well in their man ups, with the Saints only scoring once from six attempts, and Neptunes netting twice on seven occasions.
After the game the honourable ambassador, Anthony Miceli Demajo, presented the President’s Cup to the San Giljan skipper, Matthew Zammit.
Source: www.independent.com.mt