Neptunes ease away to victory

by Alex Vella

After conceding their first league defeat at the hands of neighbours San Ġiljan, Neptunes Emirates picked expected spoils at the expense of th team from across St Julian’s Bay, Exiles Ferretti. They eased away to a 21-7 win.

The Reds will hope this will be a victory which would hopefully open the way for yet another winning groove for the champions whose pride was vented three days ago.

They were on top throughout against opponents who had neither the knowhow nor the staying power to be competitive, let alone stay with them.

After the Lanzon brothers, Kayne and Niki, opened their teams’ accounts, Exiles, who went for press throughout, took the lead before Neptunes opened a 4-2 advantage that was reduced to one goal before the first session ended.

The Reds’ eight-goal barrage in the second session dismantled Exiles who found no answer to Steve Camilleri and Tamas Molnar’s scoring instincts. Both of them reached four conversions by this time, with Timmy Agius finding the net twice and Michele Stellini, who had to retire for long stretches.

At 12-4 it was game over by the long interval.

Into the third session, Jordan Camilleri was soon out for good after showing dissent towards the referee. Borislav Cupic and Alek-sander Radovic pulled two goals back to make it 12-6, but two more from Steve Camilleri, sandwiching a third from Agius, closed the quarter on 15-6 for Neptunes.

It was now time for more substitutions, especially for Sergey Markoch with Andrea Sammut and Steve Galea Pace taking up duties in the respective goals.

At this point it was a matter of how big the Reds’ victory would be and whether they would reach the 20-goal mark which they did through Steve Camilleri who brought up his tally to eight before Molnar netted his seventh for an emphatic success.

Exiles 7
 – Neptunes 21

(3-4, 1-8, 2-3, 1-6)

Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi, S. Vassallo, D. Pace Lupi, N. Portelli, A. Radovic 1, J. Spiteri Staines, B. Cupic 2, K. Grixti, P. Borg 1, S. Gaea Pace, D. Borg 1, C. Lanzon 2.

Neptunes: A. Borg Cole, N. Lanzon 1, A. Sammut, M. Stellini 1, T. Agius 3, A. Ciric, S. Camilleri 8, J. Camilleri, K. Debattista, S. Gravina, B. Lanzon 1, T. Molnar 7, C. Mercieca.

Refs: S. Licari, G. Del Bosco.

Premier League