After a balanced first period, of a game watched by a sizeable crowd, the stripes had the lion’s share of exchanges after restart. Both the Greens and the Stripes are on 4 points from 2 games.

The first action came from B’Kara when Iro Curmi shot from outside the area but Greens’ keeper Lucci Grech saved his grounder at the other end, Keith Cauchi put Owen Bugeja through but Stripes’ keeper Mark Briffa saved his shot to a corner and then neutralised a cross by the same player after an Elliot Micallef through ball.

Grech then turned into corner a shot by Curmi after a Neil Hales through ball. Micallef put Cauchi through but a Stripes defender cleared his shot to a corner and Briffa foiled the same player with a timely sortie after a Julian Borg through ball. Hales put Clint Zammit through but Grech neutralised the latter’s cross.

The first action after restart came from Floriana when Bugeja put Edward Falzon through but Briffa foiled him with a timely sortie. A well-taken flag kick by substitute Patrick Grech was headed away by a Greens defender, from a cross by Camilleri the ball was partially cleared and Alan Attard bit the rebound over the bar.

On 59 minutes the woodwork denied B’Kara, Grech turned to corner a shot by substitute Mark Cremona, from Attard’s flag kick the ball was partially cleared and the ball thumped the upright and finished from the rebound shot by Clint Zammit.

On 70 minutes B’Kara opened the score. Iro Curmi won a loose ball in Floriana’s half and after beating a defender he netted with a hand grounder, but hardly a minute later Floriana equalised when Vincenzo Brincat put Owen Bugeja through in the area who scored with a low shot. A minute before the end Floriana were awarded a free- kick first outside the Stripes area but Briffa saved the hard shot by substitute Neville Mifsud.

Referee: Gordon Barbara

Player of Match: Elliot Micallef (Floriana)

VODAFONE Under 16 KO Preliminary Round

Melita 5

Marsaxlokk 0

The amateurs had an easy passage to the first phase with a nap hand victory over the seasiders. They dictated matters for long stretches. M’Xlokk had only two shots and these came from free- kicks.

Melita went straight on the attack. Jeremy Pace bounced on a faulty clearance but M’Xlokk’ keeper Neil Spiteri turned his shot into corner. He also saved into corner a shot by Julian Galea after pouncing on a faulty goal kick and later neutralised a Galea cross after a Luke Fenech through ball.

A free kick shot by Fabian Baldacchino was saved by Melita’ keeper Karl Zahra. Nicholas Zammit crossed to Jeremy Pace but drove out with only Spiteri to beat and Rosaire Galea missed the upright after a Julian Galea cross.

On 18 minutes Melita deservedly forged ahead.

Luke Fenech put Julian Galea through, the latter crossed to Kane Micallef who scored with a low shot from inside the area. Four minutes later M’Xlokk nearly equalised, when Warren Bugeja put Massimo Cassar through, who was in offside position, and missed the low by a whisker with his shot.

The Amateurs resumed their pressure.

Fenech crossed to Nicholas Zammit but failed to connect in the area, Spiteri saved in two attempts on Kane Micallef and from a George Gribbon free kick Julian Galea headed over the bar.

The second period was a total dominance by Melitawho scored four more goals.

Kane Micallef doubled with a low shot after a Julian Galea cross on 52 minutes and two minutes later Jeremy Pace made it 3-0 after a Kane Micallef cross.

On 65 minutes it was 4-0 when Rosaire Galea put Julian Galea through who scored a beauty with a rising shot.

Three minutes before the end. substitute Alexander Steinbacker scored the fifth and final goal after a through ball by the hard-working Julian Galea.

Referee: Andrè Sciriha

Player of Match: Julian Galea (Melita)