In a deferred match day three fixture from earlier this month, Gozo RL benefitted the points over Kavallieri RL when the two teams met last night at Balzan FC.

The MRL deemed the fixture a development match and awarded the two points to Gozo RL following Kavallieri RL’s two successive postponements of the fixture but Gozo took the spoils with a crushing 46-8 result.

As the Health Ministry delivered warnings of the temperatures expected to hit the islands in the coming days, warm conditions again greeted the teams for what would be the last event on the MRL calendar before the summer break.

Gozo player-coach Clifford Debattista said it was a long deserved move off the bottom of the ladder.

“This is the end of our second season in the Maltese domestic championship and we’ve seen a lot of hard work go into the team, so it’s good to get some recognition on the championship standings – even if Sliema already won the overall championship last week but they were the standout team of the competition” said Debattista.

The experience from recent Malta combatants such as Gary Hili (pictured right) seemed to add an extra dimension to their game while Roderick Attard made a quiet comeback in too, Kavallieri RL’s last match of the season with the on-loan Joe Paolella providing another good showing for Kavallieri, both crossing for four pointers.

Gozo RL winger Stefan Buttigieg crossed for a double in each half and player-coach Debattista later said the club would break before coming together again for the international tag rugby festival where it will field a team in September and is currently in talks with a possible major sponsor ready to ink a three-year deal.

“There have been some good inroads made over the last season. We’ve launched the youth sector a few weeks ago, we’ve welcomed new players this season, we registered our first official victories in tag rugby and the Dove Men+Care Championship, we're also talking with sponsors, it’s all getting some legs, both on and off the pitch” said Debattista.

2012 MRL DOVE MEN+CARE CHAMPIONSHIP – MATCH DAY THREE

Gozo RL 46 (S.Buttigieg 4, G.Hili 3, C.Debattista, E.Borg tries; C.Debattista 5 from 9 goals) defeated
Kavallieri RL 10 (J.Paolella, R.Attard tries; J.Paolella 1 from 2 goals)
H-T: Gozo RL 20-10
Best & Fairest: S.Buttigieg (Gozo RL) & J.Paolella (Kavallieri RL)
Ref: A.Micallef
At Balzan FC Ground

2012 MRL Dove Men+Care Championship Final Standings
Sliema Stompers 6pts (3 wins, 0 losses) (+74) – and 2012 MRL Championship Winners
Malta Origin 4pts (2 wins, 1 loss) (-6)
Gozo RL 2pts (1 win, 2 losses) (+0)
Kavallieri RL 0pts (0 wins, 3 losses) (-68)

Top Tryscorers:
8: M.Camilleri (Sliema Stompers)
6: M.Attard (Sliema Stompers) and L.Naphausen (Malta Origin)
5: J.Criminale (Malta Origin) and R.Meintjes (Sliema Stompers)

Top Point Scorers:
72: Malcolm Attard (Sliema Stompers) = 6 tries, 24 goals
64: D.Frendo (Malta Origin) = 4 tries, 24 goals
32: M.Camilleri (Sliema Stompers) = 8 tries
28: R.Meintjes (Sliema Stompers) = 5 tries, 4 goals

2012-06-21, 10:00