Mqabba beat San Gwann with two clear goals to go three points clear at the top of the table. It was a hard earned win a very balanced match. San Gwann although finishing on the losing end were always in the match even when they were reduced to ten players in the 70th minute.

It was Mqabba’s third successive victory, while for San Gwann it was the first defeat following a five match positive streak.

San Gwann were the better team in the first stages with Kurt Micallef effective on the right flank, with Zammit Fava and Loughborough working hard in midfield. They had a good chance on 15 minutes with a Kurt Micallef cross for Loughborough, who hesitated in front of goal missing.

Four minutes later Mqabba forged ahead in their first real danger when a from a Justin Felice cross from the left, Anywanna anticipated goalkeeper Bartolo to head home, with the San Gwann goalie mistiming his sortie.

Mqabba were playing better now with Marlon Briffa and John Paul Muscat in good mood. On 28 minutes Mqabba went very close when Anywanna’s shot following another San Gwann defensive blunder, beat Bartolo but the shot was saved off the line by defender Spiteri. Mqabba went close again with a Tellus header from close range but Bartolo saved well.

Near the end San Gwann had a very good chance but Cuschieri blasted high from an ideal position. The last chance came to Edric Borg whose shot went well over the bar.

The second half started with Briffa shooting over the bar and on the other end Loughborough headed high from an ideal position. On 70 minutes substitute Clint Gatt who had just came in was sent off for fouling goalkeeper Calleja.

Mqabba took advantage of their numerical superiority creating a lot of scoring chances but Bartolo in the San Gwann goal was in excellent form. Bartolo saved off Muscat and Briffa, but was beaten by a Busuttil close range shot which was however cleared off the line by Loughborough.

With three minutes to go San Gwann went close to a dramatic equaliser with Achukwu lobbing over the bar with only Calleja to beat. However in injury time Mqabba put the issue beyond any doubt with their second goal scored by substitute Keith Mallia following a pass from another substitute Chris Borg.