APS Bank Under 14 Section A
Paola H. 0
Sliema W. 0
The final result favoured Pieta Hotspurs as they lead the table on 26 points from 11 games. Paola Hibs and Sliema Wanderers are on 23 and 21 points respectively from ten games. Both teams had their good moments.
Paola created the first occasion as Peter Sammut put Randall Refalo through but he shot out. At the other end, Sacha Meli was fouled outside the area and Amadeo Mercieca shot high from the free-kick.Paola keeper Julian Spiteri foiled Mercieca with a timely sortie after a Nicky Vella Petroni through ball.
The Paolites reacted and created three actions in succession. Peter Sammut put Refalo through, Blues keeper Nicky Azzopardi partially saved his shot, Refalo shot the rebound and the ball was cleared, Refalo put Peter Sammut through and Azzopardi had to come out of his charge to kick the ball upfield and then dived to save to corner a Refalo shot.
A well taken flagkick by Raymond Attard was neutralised in two attempts by Spiteri. He also turned to corner a shot by Elkien Cauchi after a Bertrand Duncan pass and saved a rebound shot by Sacha Meli after an Attard flagkick was partially cleared.
There were even fewer actions worthy of note after resumption, but still both sides had their good moments. Refalo put Peter Sammut through but a Blues defender cleared the ball to corner. Vella Petroni put Dylan Azzopardi through but Spiteri foiled him with a timely sortie.
The final two actions came from Sliema. Luca Martinelli pounced on a loose ball in midfield and Azzopardi saved his shot from outside the area and an Amadeo Mercieca shot was cleared to a corner.
Referee: William Debattista
Player of the match: Peter Sammut (Paola H)
Birkirkara 0
Valletta 0
A very keen game with the Stripes enjoying the lion’s share of exchanges in the first period. The second period was less adventurous with less actions being created. Following this result the citizens are in the danger zone with only seven points from 10 games in penultimate position.
City keeper Dunstan Zarb, son of ex-international Joe, was called in action as early as the second minute sewing a header by Diasand Brincat after a cross by Keith Fenech and a while later he foiled Lydon Micallef with a timely sortie after a Karl Montebello through ball.
Zarb had to fist the ball away from a freekick by Fenech, and a shot by the same player missed the upright by inches. The Stripes resumed their pressure and Zarb saved to a corner a header by Nicholas Zammit after a Fenech flagkick. The Valletta goalkeeper then foiled the same player with a timely sortie after an Andreas Galea through ball.
Six minutes after restart Birkirkara’s Clayton Cini was shown a yellow card for a late tackle on Fabian Scicluna. On 41 minutes we witnessed a very strange and controversial decision by the referee. Valletta forward Fabian Scicluna was served with a through ball on the right flank when standing in a clear offside position, Assistant Carl Galea flagged the infringement but the referee allowed play to carry on. Scicluna advanced and scored and the referee whistled for a goal. Birkirkara players protested hotly and crowded the official, accompanied by their coach Edward Lufi who left the substitutes bench and ran towards the referee who was in midfield still crowded by the Birkirkara players. After the protests, the referee consulted his assistant and annulled the goal.
The Valletta youngsters are to be praised for their sporting behaviour in accepting the official’s decision without any protests.
Referee: Randolph Debattista
Player of the match:Keith Fenech (Birkirkara)