APS Bank U/16 Section A

Past encounters between these two sides used to be balanced games as both teams possessed very promising youngsters, but this was not the case last Sunday as Sliema are streets ahead of Floriana.

The Blues were undoubtedly the better outfit throughout the whole 80 minutes. Sliema Coach Brian Spiteri committed dangerous forward Valerio Mottola from his initial formation but the Blues had enough guns to penetrate the Greens rearguard, which left many gaps in midfield which was exploited to the fullest by the fast and dangerous Sliema forwards. Floriana lack a striker and also punch up front. Skipper Owen Bugeja tried very hard to get his team mates going but found little or no support. This was the fourth win for Sliema from six games while Floriana suffered a third defeat from same number of games.

Floriana created the first action. Owen Bugeja served Tyrone Bugeja with a through ball but Sliema keeper Michael Incorvaja foiled him with a timely sortie. Sliema then created two occasions in succession. A Mark Scerri free kick shot was partially cleared and Amadeo Mercieca shot out from the rebound and from another Scerri free kick shot a header by Simeon Yordanov finished over the bar.

Sliema opened the score on 17 minutes. After a faulty back pass by Floriana defender Kevin Pace, Amadeo Mercieca followed the ball in the area and when Greens keeper Kyle Gerada dived to smother the ball the referee deemed that he tripped Mercieca, and Mark Scerri converted the resultant penalty..

The Greens reactions were a through ball by Orianski Buhagiar to Tyrone Bugeja but Incorvaja easily foiled him with a timery sortie. Andrea Grech, after a solo action served Patrick Grech on the left flank but the latter’s cross missed the bar. Sliema created the last action before the break when Yordanov was fouled outside the area, Ray Attard served Yordanov with a short free kick pass but Gerada saved his feeble shot. Just before the half time whistle Mark Scerri was shown the yellow card for a simulation and arguing the referee’s decision.

The second offender to be entered in the official’s black book was Sliema player Ray Attard for a foul on Owen Bugeja two minutes after restart. The Blues resumed their pressure. Attard served Andre’ Gove’ with a through ball but the latter’s cross from the right was neutralised by Gerada, the same player served Vincnezo Brincat with a through ball in the area and Gerada saved his close-range shot and later also saved a shot by Mark Scerri after beating two defenders. Yordanov was then shown the yellow card on 48 minutes for a foul on Orianski Buhagiar but from the free kick shot by Andrea Grech, Kevin Pace headed well off the Blues posts.

Sliema doubled the score on 51 minutes. Yordanov put Valerio Mottola, who came as a substitute a few minutes earlier, through in the area and was tripped by Glenn Rapinett and Mark Scerri again netted from the spot. On 57 minutes Floriana created the only serious danger to the Sliema fort, substitute Neville Mifsud crossed to substitute Mauro Grioli and Incorvaja saved his shot with a diving save in two attempts.

Mottola made it 3-0 on 63 minutes after he was put through on the right flank, entered the area unhindered and netted with a hard grounder, the same player crossed from the right to Mark Scerri minutes later but Gerada turned to corner with a diving save the latter's shot Two minutes from time Mark Scerri was shown a second yellow card and eventual dismissal after a foul on Owen Bugeja.

Referee: Andrea Sciriha

Player of match: Ray Attard (Sliema W)

Melita 3

Hamrun S 1

A very enjoyable and action-packed game watched by a sizeable crowd and played on the first class synthetic pitch of Luxol Ground. The Amateurs managed to turn tables over their opponents after suffering an early goal. Referee Mitchell Scerri failed to notice that the jersey of the Hamrun keeper was very much like his team-mates and also failed to apply the advantage clause on three occasions to the detriment of the Melita forwards.

The Spartans created the first occasions. Daniel Bonnici served Mauro Busuttil with a through ball but Melita keeper Andrew Abela foiled him with a timely sortie and he did likewise on the same player minutes later after a one-two with Lee Agius.

In the ninth minute Hamrun opened the score. Glenn Frendo served Ryan Cardona with a perfect through ball, the latter returned the compliment to Mauro Busuttil who scored with an angled grounder after entering the area. In a Melita quick reaction Daniel Bianco served Andrew Vassallo with a through pass but the latter’s cross from the right was neutralized by Hamrun keeper Lee Garrard, at the other end, Busuttil put Agius through and Abela dived full length and saved to corner the latter's shot.

In the 17th minute the woodwork denied Melita the equaliser as the ball hit the base of the upright from a free kick shot by Luke Micallef with Garrard beaten with the ball finishing out and from the resultant goal kick Agius put Busuttil through but his shot from inside the area missed the upright.

Melita obtained a deserved equaliser on 23 minutes. They won a freek kick just outside Hamrun’s area, Christian Ciantar took charge of the kick and Luke Micallef entered the area from the left flank and blasted the ball in the roof of the net with a powerful rising shot and eight minutes later they forged ahead through the same player with another rising shot after he was served with a short pass from an indirect free kick by Darryl Schembri. Hamrun were awarded a penalty on 32 minutes as Matthias Fenech handled the ball in the area after a Ryan Cardona cross from the right. Lee Agius took charge of the kick but Abela brought the house down with a diving save with the ball being cleared to a throw-in.

The last two actions before the break came from Melita. Matthias Fenech crossed from the right to lan Vella after dribbling his way past three defenders but the latter’s shot was cleared to a corner and from a cross by Andrew Vassallo, a shot by Bianco missed the upright.

A minute after restart Melita nearly scored a third goal when from a Vassallo flag kick a shot by Ian Vella was cleared on the fatal line by a defender. Cardona then crossed from the right to Busuttil but he failed to apply the killer touch when well placed in Melita’s area.

On 55 minutes it was Hamrun’s turn to be denied by the woodwork when the ball thumped the bar from a free kick shot by Daniel Bonnici with Abela beaten and the ball was somehow cleared to safety. The Spartans created two occasions in succession. Agius served Busuttil with a through ball but his close range shot missed the upright and in a similar action Busuttil was foiled from concluding after a timely sortie by the Melita keeper.

The last three actions before the end came from Melita and scored a third goal and sealed the issue beyond any doubt. Luke Micallef served substitute Tobias Torpougoff with a cross from the right but he failed to apply the killer touch from one metre with only Garrard to beat. The third goal was scored nine minutes from time with a choral move involving three players. Andrew Vassallo served Luke Micallef on the right flank and he served substitute Beppe Cassar with a perfect cross and he netted from inside the area.

The last action was a free kick shot by Torpougoff which finished over the bar after a foul on Beppe Cassar.

Referee: Mitchell Scerri

Player of match: Luke Micallef (Melita)