APS Bank Under 14 Section A

Mellieha 1 vs Mosta 5

Mosta had an easy outing against bottom placed Mellieha who were rarely in the game, and the Mosta keeper Noel Attard had a quiet 60 minutes dealing mainly with back passes from his colleagues.

The Mosta boys stormed into action from the very first whistle. Lydon Micallef served Alex Cini with a through pass but Mellieha keeper Simon Fenech saxed his close range shot to a corner, and moments later, Cini crossed the ball from the left flank but the ball was cleared to safety by a defender.

Lydon Micallef opened the score in the sixth minute when he won a loose ball in Mellieha’s half and shot past Simon Fenech from 25 metres from what looked like a harmless shot. On 14 minutes the score became 2-0 when David Causon crossed from the right to Gian Luca Vella who scored from inside the area after Fenech failed to grasp the ball.

The Mosta boys continued with their pressing and Fenech neutralised in two attempts a cross by Causon from the left and also saved a freekick shot by Gian Luca Vella after the same player was fouled outside the area.

There were only five actions worthy of note in the second period. On 38 minutes Mosta scored a third goal through Russel Marmara after a cross from the right by Causon and hardly a minute later they scored their fourth goal in an identical move between the same players and the scorer. It became 5-0 on 43 minutes when Lydon Micallef was fouled outside Mellieha’s area and the same player netted with a placed high ball from the freekick shot.

Mellieha managed to score a consolation goal six minutes from time through Zachary Sammut after he was served with a through ball by Darrel Vella, and in the 56th minute both teams were reduced to 10 men as Ryan Vella of Mellieha and Russel Marmara of Mosta were both shown the red card for hitting at each other in an off-the-ball incident.

Referee: Josef Bartolo

Player of the match: David Causon (Mosta)

APS Bank Under 16 Section A

Birkirkara 0 vs Hamrun S 2

Hamrun continued with their recent improvement in which they drew against Pieta H and Paola H and also winning against Mellieha and Valletta. They enjoyed the lion's share of exchanges during both periods and they fully deserved the verdict.

The Stripes soon reacted, Iro Curmi, after beating two defenders, square-passed to Mark Cremona with the latter's shot missing the upright by inches, Cremona then had a cross-shot which missed the upright, but the Spartans again resumed with their pressure and held the upper-hand till the half-time whistle creating three scoring chances in succession. After a well-taken freekick by Dalton Caruana, Gylmour Micallef headed slightly out from inside the area, Mauro Busuttil was then fouled on the right flank close to the penalty area and from Christian Cacciatolo’s freekick a Stripes’ defender cleared the ball to corner. Five minutes before halftime Hamrun deservedly took the lead. Jonathan Agius served Micallef with a through ball, was fouled just outside the area and Cacciatolo netted a beauty with a rising shot from the resultant freekick.

The first action after restart also came from Hamrun. After Cacciatolo dribbled past a defender, the freekick shot by Lee Agius missed the Stripes bar by inches, at the other end, Alan Attard served Thomas Camilleri with a through ball and after being fouled, the freekick shot by Iro Curmi finished over the Spartans’ bar.

Cacciatolo then put Gylmour Micallef through but a Stripes defender cleared the ball to safety with a timely intervention and Lee Agius was then fouled by Brady Micallef and Mark Briffa saved Cacciatolo's freekick shot.

On 63 minutes Birkirkara were reduced to 10 men as Alan Attard was shown the red card after a second booking. A dangerous cross by Cacciatolo was deflected to a corner, in a Stripes counter attack, Iro Curmi served Mark Cremona with a cross from the left but he miscued his shot and drove well over the bar and substitute Mark Zammit Marmara put Mark Cremona through and Spartans keeper Ryan Mangion, who was rarely troubled, saved his shot in two attempts.

A minute before the end, Mauro Busuttil served Gylmour Micallef with a cross from the right but he drove out well off target, but he made amends in the first minute of added time when he was put through by Lee Agius and scored his side's second goal with a low shot from inside the area.

Referee: Mohammed Khalil

Player of the match: Lee Agius (Hamrun S)