Exiles 6 Sirens 7

(2-0) (2-1) (1-2) (1-4)

This was definitely the best match played by the team in this year’s Waterpolo  Winter League. The boys had a steady start building up a four-goal lead (5-1) two minutes into the third quarter. This break obtained was based on the rotation adopted by Coach Matthew Pisani ofpractically the whole team as he gave breathers to the squad. The well-drilled  defence contributed to a solid performance in the first part of the game  It was in the first two quarters that Exiles had a good chance of wrapping up the proceedings, but failed to capitalize on four consecutive man-up situations.

As the match progressed, the team missed crucial chances to keep their opponents at a comfortable distance but sloppy shooting mistakes up in front proved fatal with the swimming and scoring power dimming for the team netting  just two goals. Sirens’ last goal from an acute angle could have been avoided.

Exiles had nine man-ups and converted two whist the team suffered no less than ten expulsions, of which only two were scored and two penalties awarded against and conceded – too many for a zone defence adopted by our boys.

One hopes that the mistakes made by the team, including the calling of a second time-out in the last 30 seconds of the match when Sirens had a player thrown out, will not re-occur when the  teams meet again on Saturday the 18th April 2015 in the Play-Offs to determine the final placings from the 4th to the 6th positions followed by the team’s final match against Valletta United on the 25th April 2015.

Coach Matthew Pisani had these players at his disposal: Steve Galea Pace, Julian Rizzo Naudi, Simon Vassallo (1 goal), David Pace Lupi, Michael Paris, James Spiteri Staines, Sean Gravina (3 goals), Kurt Griscti (1 goal), David Abela, Andrea Bianchi (1 goal), Philip Paris, Luca Peric and Kayne Lanzon.

Kafa

photo by Adrian Farrugia

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