A very entertaining seven-goal encounter which was watched by a sizeable crowd. The Stripes were the better outfit throughout the game creating much more occasions than their opponents.

The Yellows went straight on the offensive. Mark Sammut served Clint Zammit with a cross from the right but he failed to apply the killer touch in the area and Saints keeper Kevin Mercieca neutralized the ball, in an identical move, Mercieca partially saved on Zammit and a defender cleared the ball to safety and Rowen Muscat served Eman Borg with a through ball but defender Wayne Caruana foiled him with a timely clearance.

In St Patrick's first attack after eight minutes they forged ahead. Kurt Zammit served Glen Saliba with a through ball in the area, Stripes keeper Christian Francica came out of his charge in an attempt to foil him and tripped him in the process and was eventually shown the yellow card and the same player converted from the spot.

Eight minutes later Birkirkara equalised as Berton Catania was fouled outside the area and from the free kick taken by Zammit, Charlon Sammut headed the ball in from inside the area. Minutes later Neil Spiteri served Jurgen Farrugia with a through ball and the latter’s shot was cleared to a corner by a Stripes defender, at the other end, Mercieca saved on Muscat after a Charlon Sammut free kick following a foul on Muscat, and the later neutralised a Charlon Sammut cross following a Muscat through ball. In a Saints’ reaction Kirsten Muscat served Dillon Pace in the area but his shot missed the upright. Three minutes before the break the Stripes regained their slender lead through Charlon Sammut who scored from inside the area after a Mark Sammut through ball.

Four minutes after restart B’Kara scored a third goal. Muscat served Clint Zammit with a through ball, the latter crossed from the left to Andreas Galea who headed in from inside the area. St Patrick created three occasions in succession. Kirsten Muscat crossed from the left to Jurgen Farrugia and Francica partially saved his shot with Muscat shooting out from the rebound. Dillon Pace served Muscat with a through ball but the ball hit the side-netting from his shot. Farrugia then put Shawn Cucciardi through but he missed the upright with his shot.

The Stripes reacted as Muscat served Charlon Sammut with a through pass and he missed the upright with his shot and Berton Catania put Charlon Sammut through, the latter returned the compliment to Muscat who also missed the upright with his shot.

On 65 minutes the score became 4-1 after a choral move involving three players. Charlon Sammut served Muscat with a through pass who in turn put Catania through in the area who netted from close range and five minutes later Muscat scored the fifth and final goal from inside the area after a Catania perfect through pass, four minutes before the end St Patrick reduced the gap when the ball hit the bar from a free kick shot by Substitute Jacob Camilleri and Kirsten Muscat headed in from the rebound.

Referee: Andre’ Arciola

Player of match: Charlon Sammut (Birkirkara)

* * *

APS Bank U/16 Section C

Naxxar L 1

Valletta 1

Valletta maintained top spot and are on 29 points from 11 games. The game was short of shots at goal, the only two being the goals scored. The Citizens played with a man less for 49 minutes but still were superior to their opponents.

The first action came from Valletta as Kurt Attard crossed from the right to Neil Chircop but Naxxar keeper Bjorn Attard neutralised the ball, at the other end, Neil Gatt served Andrea Del Negro with a through ball in the area but Valletta keeper Dunstan Zarb foiled him with a timely sortie. Attard then saved a free kick shot by Justin Camenzuli and Dylan Grima crossed from the left to Bydasser Sammut but Naxxar defender Shaun Camilleri cleared his shot to a corner. Valletta kept pressing their opponents, Andrew Carabott Chircop in the area and the Naxxar keeper had to dive at his feet to prevent him from shooting, Anatoly Tishchenko served Carabott in the area but he failed to make contact with the ball and he also served Kurt Attard with a through ball and the latter’s cross from the right was cleared to a corner.

Nine minutes before the interval Valletta were reduced to ten men. Adrian Fenech was put through on the edge of the area and Karl Zammit, in an effort to foil him from concluding tripped him from behind and the referee brandished the red card and from the resultant free kick Adrian Fenech drove over the bar. The last two actions before break came fro Valletta. Dylan Grima crossed from the right to Sammut and keeper Attard neutralized the ball with a diving save and after Grima was foiled outside the area Attard saved the free kick shot by the same player.

Valletta had more of the exchanges after resumption. Grima served Sammut in the area and Attard had to come out of his charge to kick the ball to safety and later foiled Chircop with a timely sortie after a Tishchenko through ball. Sammut served Chircop in the area and Attard had to come out of his charge to kick the ball up-field and in a similar action a defender cleared to corner from the shot by Chircop.

In a Naxxar rare occasion, Adrian Fenech won a loose ball outside City's area and Zarb turned his shot to a corner. Valletta forged ahead on 61 minutes. Carabott served Sammut in the area and was tripped by Jonathan Bilocca and the same player converted from the spot. After Grima was fouled outside the area Sammut missed the upright from the free kick shot.

Five minutes before the end Naxxar equalized as Fenech served Andy Bartolo with a through ball and he scored with a lobbed ball from outside the area as the City keeper was well out of his charge and a minute later they nearly scored the winner in a choral move which involved three players, Fenech served Anthony Spiteri with a through ball on the left flank who crossed to Del Negro whose shot from inside the area missed the upright by inches with Zarb beaten.

Referee: Aaron Fenech

Player of match: Bydasser Sammut (Valletta)

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