A six-goal thriller and a hard-fought game. St Patrick seemed to be heading for their second win this season as they lead 2-1 early in the second period, but the Greens did not throw the towel and mounted incessant attacks which reaped the desired fruit and managed to turn tables over their opponents. The Yellow-Blacks are heading for a quick return to Section B next season as they have only won three points from 10 games and are in penultimate position in the table.

Floriana took the lead after only 50 seconds. They won a corner kick after kick-off and from the flag kick taken by Neville Mifsud, Kevin Pace headed the ball in past Saints keeper Jonathan Grech. Russell Marmara should have doubled on six minutes but with only Grech to beat he drove out from two metres after a perfect through pass by Patrick Grech. The Saints reacted by creating two occasions in succession, a well-taken flag kick by Jacob Camilleri was headed away by a defender and after a cross from the right by Shawn Cucciardi, Greens keeper Jean P Micallef had to dive to save a header by Dillon Pace. At the other end, Patrick Grech received a long ball from his keeper and with only Saints keeper to beat he lobbed the ball out.

Micallef then saved on Randall Cassar after he was put through by Glenn Saliba and on 24 minutes St Patrick equalised through Jurgen Farrugia who scored from inside the area after receiving from a long throw-in by Wayne Caruana. The Saints keeper had to dive full length to save a header by Franridge Schembri after a Patrick Grech cross from the right and after a comer kick by the same player the ball was partially cleared and the rebound shot by Orianski Buhagiar missed the bar by inches. A minute before the break the woodwork denied St Patrick as Cassar served Farrugia in the area and from his shot the ball hit the base of the upright, rolled over the line and finished in Micallef’s waiting hands and just before the half time whistle, after Buhagiar was fouled outside the area the ball missed the upright from the free kick by Neville Mifsud.

Floriana created the first action after restart as Patrick Grech served Schembri in the area whose shot was partially saved by Grech and a defender cleared the ball to safety. On 44 minutes St Patrick took the lead. Cucciardi served Farrugia in the area and after beating a defender he scored with a low shot. The Greens tried to level matters, and from after a cross from the right by Schembri, Russell Marmara headed out when well placed, at the other end, after a corner kick by Jurgen Farrugia, Substitute Owen Mizzi headed over the bar.

The Greens equalised on the hour. Buhagiar was fouled on the right flank close to the area and from the free kick shot taken by Mifsud, Andrea Grech headed in past Saints keeper Grech, and three minutes later they regained their slender lead as Buhagiar crossed from the right to Mifsud who scored with a hard grounder from the edge of the area. On 68 minutes the score became 4-2 as Substitute Tyrone Bugeja put Buhagiar through and Grech saved his shot to a corner which was taken by Buhagiar and after the ball was partially cleared it was met by Mifsud who again scored with another hard grounder from the edge of the area obtaining a personal brace and his side’s fourth goal. Floriana kept insisting trying to increase their lead. Buhagiar crossed from the right to Bugeja whose header missed the upright and from a through pass by the same player Manuel Grech lobbed over the bar.

Referee: Matthew Vella

Player of match: Orianski Buhagiar (Floriana)

APS Bank U/16 Section A

Paola H 3

Qormi 1

The Paolites enjoyed superiority throughout the whole game. Qormi tried to operate on the break but the Hibs rearguard was a very hard nut to crack. After being promoted last season Qormi seem to be heading for a quick return to Section B as they have only won one point from 11 games and are lying in bottom place of the table.

Hibs went straight on the offensive from the very first whistle. After a cross from the right by Vince Zahra a header by Peter Paul Sammut missed the upright and later a cross by the same player was cleared away by a defender. Triston Caruana served Nathaniel Ebejer with a through ball and was fouled just outside the area and from the resultant free kick shot by Matthew Gauci, Qormi keeper Franklin Xerri had to dive to save his shot. After an Ebejer through pass to Gauci, Xerri partially saved the latter's shot and also saved the rebound shot by the same player.

On 18 minutes Hibs deservedly took the lead as Sammut scored from inside the area after a perfect cross from the right by Yan Cauchi. Hibs continued pressing their opponents and Xerri was forced to fist the ball away from a free kick shot by Caruana after Elkien Cauchi was fouled just outside the area. Seven minutes before the break Caruana should have doubled the score but he skied the ball when well placed after another perfect cross by Yan Cauchi. Qormi’s only action in the first period was two minutes before the break when from a free kick shot by James Winters, Hibs keeper Daniel Balzan saved a header by Ryan Cauchi.

The second period was a carbon copy of the first with Hibs mounting attack after attack. A well-taken flag kick by Gauci was headed away by a defender, after a Caruana through pass Nathaniel Ebejer missed the upright from close range, after Yan Cauchi was fouled on the right flank, Caruana served the same player from the free kick with Xerri partially saving his shot and the ball was somehow cleared to safety. Caruana then served Yan Cauchi in the area and his shot was cleared to a corner. In the 64th minute, very surprisingly Qormi equalised. They were awarded a free kick well outside Hibs’s area which was taken by Winters causing confusion in the area and in the melee that ensued Andrew Vella was pushed in the area and Jurgen Gerada equalised from the spot, but their joy was short-lived as Hibs regained their slender lead hardly two minutes later, from a Caruana flag kick the ball was cleared to another corner and from the flag kick by Gauci, Jonathan Scerri headed in. Five minutes before the end Hibs put the issue beyond any doubt as a free kick shot by Caruana was cleared to a corner and from the flag kick by the same player it was again Scerri who scored with another header obtaining a personal brace and the third goal for his side.

Referee: Joe Attard

Player of match: Yan Cauchi (Paola Hibs)