San Giljan Salini Resort K.O. winners

San Giljan Salini Resort     12
Neptunes Betsson     10

after extra time
(2-1, 4-1, 2-3, 1-4) – (1-0)(2-1)

The champions retained the honour they won last season, winning the Knock-Out competition for a total of nine times. They had to go into extra time before they could claim victory. As it was, they seemed done and dusted at the start of the last quarter when they had gone four goals in front for the third time in the match, but Neptunes came storming back to level the score just five seconds from normal time, with a goal from their stalwart captain Niki Lanzon. Undaunted, the Saints went back ahead, and this time they leasted the pace to emerge winners to tune in exactly to their feast day, being celebrated today.

Neptunes forged ahead through Lanzon, with the champions overturning the score with Aurelien Cousin and Andreas Galea strikes. In the second period Galea and Boris Vapenski took them further in front, Steve Camilleri scoring his only goal of the match for Neptunes. San Giljan continued to operate on bursts of two quick goals, this time Vapenski scoring both of them, and at the interval the Saints were 6-2 ahead.

After the break Naptunes were back with Cosmin radu and Miguel Zammit goals, but San Giljan also managed to score twice more through Galea and Ben Plumpton. Lanzon pulled a goal back for Neptunes, who were still 5-8 behind. In the last session Clint Mercieca seemed to clinch it for the champions, but Neptunes staged an amazing comeback, hitting their oppponents four times in a row, as Jordan Camilleri, Jeremy Abela, and Lanzon (twice) tied the score, with just five seconds left on the clock.

The match had to go into overtime, and Plumpton raced away to push the Saints in front again in the first session, The last three minutes had San Giljan doubling their lead with a goal scored by Mercieca. Lanzon kept Neptunes in the hunt with his fifth goal, but it was left to vice captain, Dino Zammit to assure the Saints of their victory, after a player from each side was shown the red card, skipper, Matthew Zammit, for San Giljan, and Timmy Agius, for Neptunes.

After the match, the Saints were in raptures, as they were awarded the winning medals, by the Chief Officer BOV, Anthony Galea, and the ASA president, Joe Caruana Curran, with Dino Zammit receiving the coveted trophy.

S. Giljan: J. Sammut , P. Borg , A. Galea 3, B. Vapenski 3, Da. Zammit ,M. Zammit , K. Galea , C. Mercieca 2, B. Plumpton 2, A. Cousin 1, P. Fava , D. Zammit , D. Camilleri

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole , N. Lanzon 5, C. Radu 1, M. Cutajar , T. Agius ,   M. Lanzon , S. Camilleri 1, J. Camilleri 1, J. Abela 1, M. Zammit 1, B. Lanzon , M. Azzopardi , M. Castillo

Referees: A. Goncharenko, M. Bianchi

Source: www.independent.com.mt

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