The Amateurs were too strong for lowly placed Tarxien. The latter must thank their ‘keeper Luke Caruana who saved them from a heavier defeat with some good saves.

The Melita boys soon made their intentions clear, that is, to open the score early and managed to do so by the third minute when Steven Micallef put Tobias Terpougoff through, the latter’s shot hit the bar and Andrea Muscat banged in the rebound from close range.

Luke Caruana then saved on Terpougoff after a Sean Mifsud cross and a shot from the same player missed the upright. The score became 2-0 on 17 minutes. Mattias Fenech put Terpougoff through who netted with a grounder after outspeeding two defenders.

Caruana came to Tarxien’s rescue as he turned to corner a shot by Mifsud, but he was beaten a third time just before the halftime whistle with a fine rising shot by Fenech following a Muscat cross.

The second period was also totally dominated by Melita and their ‘keeper Anthony Cassar could have stayed at home because he was never troubled in the whole 60 minutes: he only dealt with some back passes by his colleagues.

Caruana tipped the ball over the bar from a Muscat free kick and saved in two attempts on Philip Zammit after a Micallef cross.

Melita’s fourth and final goal was scored on 40 minutes following a choral move: Michael Formosa put Terpougoff through on the left, the latter crossed to substitute Jordan Camilleri who had the easiest of tasks to tap the ball from two metres.

Camilleri then crossed to Formosa but Caruana saved his shot to a corner.

Eight minutes from time the woodwork denied Melita a fifth goal, holding off Terpougoff’s effort, as the ball rebounded into the area and finished in Caruana’s waiting hands.

Referee: Franco Cachia

Player of the match: Luke Caruana (Tarxien)

APS Bank U/16 Section B

Qormi 0 vs St. George’s 0

Qormi were very unlucky not to have bagged the three points as they created more scoring chances.

Gary Parnis put Ryan Cauchi through but his shot missed the Saints upright, from a Parnis well-taken flag kick Cauchi headed wide when well placed.

In a St. George’s counter-attack, Qormi ‘keeper Jurgen Cilia neutralised a cross-shot by Josef Dalli.

Saints ‘keeper Kyle Fenech saved on Rodney Caruana after a Lyden Fenech through pass and also saved on Parnis after a Keith Camilleri cross and the same player drove out with a “rovesciata” after a Parnis cross.

Cilia saved on Dalli after a Josef Dalli short free kick, at the other end, the Saints ‘keeper saved to a corner a shot by Johann Zammit after a Camilleri cross.

Few were the actions worthy of note in the second period.

Shaun Farrugia put Dalli through but he failed to control the ball in Qormi’s area.

From a Parnis well-taken free kick, Camilleri failed to apply the killer touch with only Fenech to beat.

A Dalli free kick was cleared to safety by a Qormi defender and Cilia neutralised a cross by Dalli.

Nine minutes from time Camilleri should have sealed the issue for Qormi but he skied the ball from two metres after a Parnis well-taken flag-kick.

Referee: Gjergi Bitri

Player of the match: Gary Parnis (Qormi)