The Malta Independent on Sunday
San Giljan beat Neptunes to claim KO for ninth time
Waterpolo Bank of Valletta Premier Division KO
Willie Vassallo
San Giljan Salini Res. Neptunes Betsson
after extra time (2-1, 4-1, 2-3, 1-4) - (1-0)(2-1) The champions kept the honour they won last season also winning it for the ninth time. They had to go into extra time before they could claim the honour.
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 from their stalwart captain Niki Lanzon.
Undaunted, the Saints went back ahead and this time they lasted 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 with 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 fully 6-2 ahead.
After the break Neptunes were back with Cosmin Radu and Miguel Zammit goals but San Giljan also managed to score twice more from Galea and Bem 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 opponents 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 from 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 but the Chief Officer of 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, D.
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: Bianchi A. Goncharenko, M.