Sliema Hs Inflict First Defeat on The Hunters� Tower Rest YS
Sunday�s match in the Blue Label National Hockey League saw Sliema Hs get the better of Hunters� Tower Rest. YS by 2-1 and Champions Rabat struggled to overcome of Britannia Tours White Hart by a solitary goal.
Last season, The Hunters� Tower Rest. YS finished in second place, nine points adrift from Rabat Depiro. They were the only team to beat the Champions but they were also the only team to suffer three defeats (out of three) against Sliema Hs. Three defeats that effectively killed their title hopes. In those three games they conceded five goals, four of them coming from Liam Pace. On Sunday, Pace was back to haunt them again as he scored the two goals that ended Young Stars� unbeaten start to the season and at the same time put Sliema on top together with Rabat Depiro.
At the end there wasn�t much between the two sides. Arguably Young Stars had the better possession but Sliema built up a strong barrier in midfield and defence and their counter attacking was lethal. After an early flurry from Young Stars, Sliema created their first chance after 10 minutes but Abdilla in the Young Stars goal blocked Pace. A few minutes later Pace repeated the same action only this time he slipped the ball past the Young Stars goalkeeper and put his side into the lead. Young Stars reacted strongly but for all their hard work they rarely got a sight of goal; Edward Hughes was stopped by Imbroll while Sliema goalkeeper Mallia stopped Evans. A good run by Agius Darmanin was not converted by his teammates.
The second half started with Mallia saving twice off Hughes and on 17 minutes Young Stars drew level. Following a short corner, an absolute scorcher of a hit from Chris Attard, destined out, took a deflection off a defender�s stick and left Mallia stranded. Young Stars tried to build on this boost but Sliema regrouped and four minutes from time took all three points. Simon Baldacchino outran his marker down the right and sent in a tantalising cross that Pace literally through himself at to net one of the best goals seen so far at Kordin.
In the second game of the day, Rabat had to play a patient game until they found a way around a White Hart side determined to kick-start their league campaign. At the end they had to surrender to a solitary goal scored fifteen minutes from time. The absence of David Agius is no longer news but on Sunday they were also missing Giancarlo Torpiano who�s play down the right side usually allows White Hart to break out so effectively from defence. An early White Hart short corner saw Simon Agius hit just wide. A few minutes later White Hart�s goalkeeper, Galea, pulled off the first of numerous saves when he blocked what looked like a certain goal from Seychell. He did the same a few minutes later stopping Vella as Rabat started piling up short corners. Before the half time whistle Josef Antonelli and Perales both had their chances to put Rabat in the lead but failed.
The second half was more of the same as Galea stopped Falzon and Kevin Micallef hit wide. Five consecutive short corners for Rabat failed to produce anything but finally White Hart conceded as Josef Antonelli and Jason Vella combined beautifully for the former to tuck the ball past Galea. Britannia Tours WH could not react and in fact it was Rabat who wasted further chances to increase the score.
Sunday�s match in the Blue Label National Hockey League saw Sliema Hs get the better of Hunters� Tower Rest. YS by 2-1 and Champions Rabat struggled to overcome of Britannia Tours White Hart by a solitary goal.
Last season, The Hunters� Tower Rest. YS finished in second place, nine points adrift from Rabat Depiro. They were the only team to beat the Champions but they were also the only team to suffer three defeats (out of three) against Sliema Hs. Three defeats that effectively killed their title hopes. In those three games they conceded five goals, four of them coming from Liam Pace. On Sunday, Pace was back to haunt them again as he scored the two goals that ended Young Stars� unbeaten start to the season and at the same time put Sliema on top together with Rabat Depiro.
At the end there wasn�t much between the two sides. Arguably Young Stars had the better possession but Sliema built up a strong barrier in midfield and defence and their counter attacking was lethal. After an early flurry from Young Stars, Sliema created their first chance after 10 minutes but Abdilla in the Young Stars goal blocked Pace. A few minutes later Pace repeated the same action only this time he slipped the ball past the Young Stars goalkeeper and put his side into the lead. Young Stars reacted strongly but for all their hard work they rarely got a sight of goal; Edward Hughes was stopped by Imbroll while Sliema goalkeeper Mallia stopped Evans. A good run by Agius Darmanin was not converted by his teammates.
The second half started with Mallia saving twice off Hughes and on 17 minutes Young Stars drew level. Following a short corner, an absolute scorcher of a hit from Chris Attard, destined out, took a deflection off a defender�s stick and left Mallia stranded. Young Stars tried to build on this boost but Sliema regrouped and four minutes from time took all three points. Simon Baldacchino outran his marker down the right and sent in a tantalising cross that Pace literally through himself at to net one of the best goals seen so far at Kordin.
In the second game of the day, Rabat had to play a patient game until they found a way around a White Hart side determined to kick-start their league campaign. At the end they had to surrender to a solitary goal scored fifteen minutes from time. The absence of David Agius is no longer news but on Sunday they were also missing Giancarlo Torpiano who�s play down the right side usually allows White Hart to break out so effectively from defence. An early White Hart short corner saw Simon Agius hit just wide. A few minutes later White Hart�s goalkeeper, Galea, pulled off the first of numerous saves when he blocked what looked like a certain goal from Seychell. He did the same a few minutes later stopping Vella as Rabat started piling up short corners. Before the half time whistle Josef Antonelli and Perales both had their chances to put Rabat in the lead but failed.
The second half was more of the same as Galea stopped Falzon and Kevin Micallef hit wide. Five consecutive short corners for Rabat failed to produce anything but finally White Hart conceded as Josef Antonelli and Jason Vella combined beautifully for the former to tuck the ball past Galea. Britannia Tours WH could not react and in fact it was Rabat who wasted further chances to increase the score.
Henry Cachia / Ian Crockford
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