Sliema are in second place with 22 points from nine games while Hamrun are on 10 points from same number of games.

The Wanderers were the better outfit and fully deserved the verdict as they kept Hamrun under pressure for long stretches. The latter tried to operate on swift counter-attacks by playing long and high balls, which were dealt with ease by the tall Blues’ defenders.

The Blues sought an early lead from the very first whistle and the game was only a minute old when they were denied by the woodwork. Later, Ciantar put Mottola through but Spartans libero Kyle Calleja foiled him with a timely clearance and Kane Farrugia served Mottola with a through ball in the area but the ball thumped the bar from the latter’s shot and finished out.

In a Hamrun reaction Mauro Busuttil served Lee Agius with a through ball but Kane Farrugia foiled him from advancing with a timely intervention.

Sliema forged ahead on 19 minutes when Mottola square-passed to Simeon Yordanov who netted with a hard grounder from inside the area. After a solo run down the right flank Mercieca executed an insidious cross which was well neutralised by Garrard and later Mottola crossed from the right to Yordanov who headed over the bar. In a swift Hamrun counter-attack Agius served Busuttil with a perfect through pass and Sliema keeper Michael Incorvaja had to come out of his charge to kick the ball upfield.

A minute before the break Sliema doubled the score. Mercieca served Miguel Ciantar with a through pass on the edge of the area who netted a beauty with a rising shot.

Hamrun created the first action after the restart. Frendo served Busuttil with a through ball but Incorvaja saved his shot to a corner. At the other end, Yordanov served Mottola with a perfect through ball in the area but failed to connect when well placed.

The score became 3-0 on 54 minutes after a choral move involving four players earned Sliema a corner and from Mottola’s flag kick Kane Farrugia headed in from close range.

Three minutes later Hamrun reduced the gap when Mauro Busuttil pounced on a faulty back-pass by Sammut and after entering the area and scored with a low shot.

After this goal Sliema resumed their pressure on the Spartans fort and again hit the woodwork with a Mottola header. Garrard then turned to corner a Mottola shot after a cross by substitute Grech,and just before the final whistle Attard crossed from the left to Scerri but his shot hit the upright and finished out.

Referee: Mohammed Khalil

Player of match: Miguel Ciantar (Sliema W)

* * *

Melita 0

St Andrews 2

After last week’s defeat by Pieta, St Andrews were back on winning track and are now on 22 points from nine games while Melita are on 11 points from same number of games. The Violets enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges throughout the whole 80 minutes.

St Andrews created the first occasions but Melita reacted. Two minutes before the break St Andrew were denied by the woodwork as a header by Calleja hit the upright after a cross from the right by Neil Chetcuti

In the first minute of added time in the first period St Andrews opened the score. The hard-working Neil Chetcuti floated a perfect ball from a free-kick from the right edge of the area and Michael Calleja sprinted from the left side to head in past keeper Abela.

The first action worthy of note after restart was after seven minutes. Chetcuti served Scott from a throw-in and the latter’s cross from the right was cleared to a corner.

St Andrews doubled the score on 59 minutes. Scott crossed from the right and the ball was met Michael Calleja who scored a beauty with an over-head kick.

The Saints kept pressing after this goal and twice went close through Timothy Martin Eight minutes from time St Andrews’ Andrew Camilleri Kamsky was shown the red card for a second caution.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Player of match: Neil Chetcuti (St Andrews)