Following this match Senglea are in top spot with maximum points from four games while Ghaxaq are still pointless from same number of games. Referee Malcolm Chetcuti should improve on his performance as he was rarely up with play and there were instances when he was 20 or 25 metres away from action.

After only five minutes Ghaxaq opened the score. Mark Busuttil served Noel Bilocca with a perfect through pass in the area and he lobbed the ball over the on rushing Senglea keeper Rudie Vella. Their joy, however, lasted only two minutes as Senglea equalized their Glenn Brincat who scored with a rising shot direct from a free-kick from the left edge of the area.

Encouraged by this goal, the Senglea players tried to get a winning goal and on 14 minutes they were denied by the woodwork as the ball hit the upright from a cross by Brincat with Ghaxaq keeper Jensen Chetcuti beaten.

At the other end, Luke Micallef entered the area after a run down the left flank but Vella saved his feeble shot. Senglea took the lead on 25 minutes Rayson Vella pounced on a loose ball outside Ghaxaq’s area and after beating a defender he hit a grounder and what looked like an easy save for Chetcuti ended with the ball passing between his legs and ending at the back of the net.

Up to the end of the halftime whistle there were only two actions worthy of note as play was mainly restricted to midfield.

Glenn Abela served Chris Compagno with a through ball, the latter crossed to Glenn Brincat but he failed to apply the killer touch from two metres in Ghaxaq’s area Chris Giordimaina put Luke Micallef through but his shot from outside the area missed Senglea’s upright.

The first action after restart came from Senglea. Maverick Azzopardi served Brincat with a through pass but Chetcuti saved his shot from inside the area. Luke Micallef served Bilocca with a through ball and his shot from inside the area was cleared to a corner by a Senglea defender

In a desperate effort by Ghaxaq to save the game, they created the last four actions of the game and were very unlucky not to have equalized on two occasions. Senglea substitute keeper Jesmond Cioffi, who replaced the injured Rudie Vella, saved a Luke Micallef shot from outside the area and from a Steve Spiteri well-taken corner kick, a shot by Bilocca was cleared on the line.

From a Bilocca cross Cioffi partially saved on Kersten Borg and the ball was cleared with difficulty and after a Giordimaina cross a shot from outside the area by Spiteri hit the upper part of the crossbar and the ball finished out.

Referee: Malcolm Cutajar

Player of the match: Glenn Brincat (Senglea)

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Lija Iklin 1

Kirkop U 5

Kirkop United are on six points from four games while Lija-Iklin have only one point from same number of games. Kirkop were superior to their opponents throughout the whole 80 minutes.

After only five minutes Kirkop opened the score when from a well-taken freekick by Michael Theuma, Keith Zammit headed the ball in from inside the area. Lija-Iklin’s reaction was a freekick shot by Darren Vella and Kirkop keeper Paulseph Cutajar had to dive and turn the ball to corner, at the other end, Clint Agius served Daniel Scicluna with a through pass and Lija-Iklin keeper Joseph Farrugia had to dive and save the latter’s shot.

On 16 minutes Kirkop doubled the score as Michael Theuma won a loose ball outside the area and after advancing he netted with a low shot.

After a few minutes a cross from the left by the same player was cleared by a defender.

In a Lija-Iklin counter attack Gary Cremona square passed to David Attard whose shot from outside the area missed the upright. A minute before half time, after a Clint Agius cross, a header by Daniel Scicluna missed the upright by a whisker.

Kirkop created the first occasion after resumption. Daniel Scicluna was put through in the area and his shot hit the cross bar with Lija-Iklin keeper Joseph Farrugia beaten. From a flagkick by David Attard the ball was partially cleared and the rebound shot by Ishmael Psaila missed Kirkop’s upright by inches.

The score became 3-0 on 51 minutes. Benton Grech served Bryan Falzon with a short free-kick pass who in turn crossed to Keith Zammit who scored from inside the area and the fourth goal was scored on 61 minutes through Michael Theuma with a shot from inside the area after dribbling his way past two defenders.

The fifth and final goal was scored two minutes later through Daniel Scicluna after a cross from the left by Theuma.

Lija-Iklin scored a consolation goal two minutes from time when a shot from outside the area by Psaila was partially saved by Cutajar and Saverio Savo netted the rebound.

Referee:Philip Farrugia

Player of the match:Michael Theuma (Kirkop)