Three Years in the top flight PART 2

Welcome Dirk Dowling

In the year 1997, B’Bugia and San Giljan renounced to their top status giving Exiles another opportunity to play once again in the first division. That year foreigners were barred from registering and in a way the level suffered in no uncertain way.

In a pre-season interview, newly appointed coach Dirk Dowling, stated that the Club’s policy was to “build a sound platform for the next three years and the youthful element we have in the team, is encouraging”

The new faces in the team were Michael Grima, Edwin ‘Junior’ Pisani, Cain Pavia, Mark Attard (back from his stay at San Giljan) Michael Pace Balzan and David Ellul Mercer. The rest of the squad had formed part of the previous year’s team and included Silvio Borg, Antoine Sciberras, Malcolm Jones, Richard Ellis, Karl Borg, Kenneth Incorvaja, Ivan Muscat, Michael Camilleri and Nigel Camilleri whilst veterans Michael Paris and Stephen Paris had called it a day.

Dirk’s Theory

The performances throughout the season were contrasting but at the same time the team managed some remarkable results; this was definitely due to Dirk’s ability to transmit to the team a sense of discipline for the duration of the whole 28 minutes of play. He was capable also to note the (few) weaknesses of our opponents to cash on them by directing the team accordingly. Some matches were described by the Press as dull as Exiles played the clock and took an immediate defensive position to avoid the counter attacks. When playing a set defence, the Exiles team often proved to be impregnable. Dirk sustained that it was no use trying to attack leaving the rearguard susceptible to the opponents’ fast breaks with the inevitable demoralizing effects on our young side.

The Proceedings

Once again, Valletta was the team we had to tussle with to avoid relegation. In the first encounter we lost 4-6 but the score did not really reflect the superiority which the Whites enjoyed. In the second round encounter, Exiles were in command throughout the match. Lack of experience was our lads’ downfall in last session (2-5) as Valletta came from behind to win this crucial match by an odd goal in 17 with the winning goal coming from a flick by Jason Vella who later was to become one of best centers that Exiles has ever fielded.

One of the finest performances was the first round encounter against Neptunes. Suffice to say that it took them 12 minutes and 18 seconds to find the net for the first time. Exiles gave Neptunes a good run for their money; there was no doubt as to where the points were going however it was only in the last part of the fourth quarter that Neptunes breathed a sigh of relief at the end of a strange match winning 8-4 against a gallant and determined Exiles side. The second encounter saw the Reds win comfortably 11-6 with   Exiles opting to play press full pitch but this only helped Neptunes’ prolific scorer John Paris to see his name jotted nine times on the goal scorers’ list that day.

The matches against Sirens were both tough with the final scores (2-9) and (5-11) clearly indicating the great disparity between both sides. The duels with Sliema were dull affairs as described by the Press. Sliema were erratic in the build-up of their offensive attacks as Exiles players managed to keep their cool and their more valid opponents at bay. The final scores of 6-2 and 6-3 in Sliema’s favour were flattering to the gritty Exiles outfit.

Overall the season was branded as a being of a lower level than in previous years. The quality of play seen at the Pool clearly missed the class seen in the previous season; clearly it reflected the absence of the foreign players. Crowds in the stands at the Pixxina dwindled in line with the level.

New Champions

In the end Marsascala emerged as winners after there were indications during the season of a possible tie involving no less than four teams. The team from Wied il-Ghajn had shown their potential two years earlier when competing in the second division with a ‘first division’ side.  Strengthened by further quality signings, they managed to lift the first division trophy for the first and only time in their history.

In the first round Exiles lost to Marsascala 2-6 in a match which saw Antoine Sciberras earning the Player of the Week award for his display against one of the toughest sides.
It was purely a coincidence that their final match Marsascala had to meet Exiles before the celebrations commenced. Exiles gave a good account of themselves without being conditioned by the jovial crowd present. We weren’t going to spoil their party however a final score of 8-4 in favour of the newly crowned champions was also another pearl in the string of encouraging results gained by this young and promising team under the guidance of coach Dirk Dowling.

In the next article, Exiles brave a tougher season as we see the number of teams in the first division reduced further.