Two goals in the latter part of the last session provided a breather for Exiles Ferretti and assured them of victory against a fighting Valletta side in yesterday’s opening match.

The City team, with Clint Debono in their squad but without Charlie Zammit, ran their opponents from Sliema very close.

With four minutes left in the final session, Valletta were right on the heels of Exiles as only a single goal seperated the teams.

The definite expulsion on three fouls of the useful Michael Cordina early in the third session and that of Sean Meli after two minutes of the fourth did not help matters for Valletta.

Exiles, well-served by David Pace Lupi, scorer of four goals, ran out winners in the end.

Exiles 7 Valletta 4

(1-0, 2-2, 2-2, 2-0)

Exiles: I. Bugeja, J. Rizzo Naudi, S. Vassallo, D. Pace Lupi 4, M. Magri, N. Portelli, J. Spiteri Staines 1, K. Grixti, M. Paris 1, A. Cutajar, N. Paris, D. Borg, K. Lanzon 1.

Valletta: R. Sciortino, S. Meli, R. Calleja, K. Scicluna, C. Szilagyi 2, S. Cachia, R. Mock, M. Cordina, R. Scerri 1, A. Arrigo, C. Debono 1, N. Bonello Ghio.

Refs: A. De Raffaele, P. Balzan.