HAM

Over the weekend another full programme of hockey matches were played and confirmed, if there was any need, that Champions Punch & Judy Rabat will certainly take some beating this year.

On Sunday another polished performance saw them dispatch Pasta Poiatti Qormi to the tune of five goals with Josef Antonelli getting his second consecutive hat-trick. The George Pub picked up their first points of the season when they beat Celtics YS by two clear goals while in the Saturday game Sliema HS and The Hunters Tower Rest. YS battled out to a 0-0 draw.

The Hunters Tower Rest. 0 vs. Sliema Hs 0
H.T. 0-0
Umpires: Reno Cremona and Robert Aquilina

It seems to be a tradition that games between Sliema Hs and The Hunters Tower Rest. rarely result in high scoring matches and more often then not they usually end up being drab, hard fought battles. Saturday's game was no exception and the final result, by the end of the weekend, would only please Punch & Judy Rabat. Both sides fielded their best possible formations although The Hunters Tower Rest. had to do with out the suspended Ivan Magro. From the start both sides soon locked horns in midfield with Young Stars gaining a slight ascendancy late in the half. Clear scoring chances were rare and far between and the chances that came the attackers were blocked either by the goalkeeper or by a defender. The Hunters Tower Rest maintained their superiority in possession even through out the second half although they rarely tested Mallia in the Sliema goal. They almost did get the better of him when first they hit the upright and in the last minute a tricky shot almost found the back of the net when Mallia miss-kic
k his clearance. A few minutes earlier a Young Stars defender was on hand to stop Liam Pace from hitting in from one of Sliema's rare short corners.

Pasta Poiatti Qormi 0 vs. Punch & Judy Rabat 5
H.T. 0-2
Umpires: Reno Cremona and Edward Hughes

Punch & Judy Rabat ended their 2003 commitments with a 5-1 drubbing of The George Pub. They started their 2004 in a similar fashion, this time they went one better hitting five without reply past the luckless Pasta Poiatti. Once again the protagonist was Josef Antonelli who followed up his three goals against The George Pub with another three against Pasta Poiatti. Six goals in two matches is no mean feat. All those who were convinced that the technical skills of the Rabat players would be highlighted even further on the new surface have so far been proved right. They swept aside Pasta Poiatti's usually resilient challenge with relative ease with their two other goals coming from Jonathan Seychell.
Celtics YS 0 vs. The George Pub 2
H.T. 0-1
Umpires: Liam Pace and Manuel Imbroll

In the last game of the weekend, The George Pub got their points tally going with a 2-0 victory over newcomers Celtics YS. The game was a balanced affair but at the end of the day it was The George's Pub experience and the fine game played by David Agius that won the day. Luke Busutill Leaver opened the score on 25M when he rounded the Celtics goalkeeper and hit into an empty net. Prior to this the Celtics had three consecutive scoring chances one of which a well taken short corner move that ended with Camilleri's attempt at goal being deflected onto the upright. In the second half Celtics tried hard to get the equalizer but Frankie Bugeja was too isolated up front. On their part The George Pub created numerous chances from short corners but they failed to capitalise on them. They did however wrap up the game in the 27th minute of the second half when Branco Radojevic fired in an unstoppable hit from a short corner. The Celtics did not lose heart and in the final minutes they were denied a deserved consolatio
n goal when Ray Bezzina (the former Sliema player, making his debut for The George Pub) saved on the line a hit destined for the back of the net.

The League will continue on Sunday with two further matches. In the first game Punch & Judy Rabat should continue with their winning start when they face Celtics YS at 9.00am. In the second game The Hunters Tower Rest face The George Pub in a game the result of which is difficult to predict even though The Hunters Tower Rest start as slight favourites.

LEAGUE TABLE:

P W D L F A PTS
Punch & Judy Rabat 2 2 0 0 10 1 6
Sliema Hs. 2 1 1 0 3 1 4
The Hunters Tower Rest 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
The George Pub 2 1 0 1 3 5 3
Celtics YS 2 0 0 2 1 5 0
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 2 0 0 2 0 7 0

Leading Scorer: Josef Antonelli (Punch & Judy Rabat) - 6 goals.

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