Sliema W 1

Paola Hibs 0

After this very important win Sliema have moved very close to be crowned Section A winners for season 2006/2007. They have opened an unassailable nine-point lead against their closest challengers Luxol St Andrew’s. Though playing beyond par they still managed to bag the three points with a late second half goal.

The Paolites were the first to threaten but Sliema keeper Michael Incorvaja saved Leighton Grech’s weak shot and later foiled Sammy Piscopo with a timely sortie after he was put through by Triston Caruana.

Sliema’s reaction was a well-taken free-kick by Mark Scerri which was partially cleared with the ball being met by Valerio Mottola who crossed from the left to Simeon Yordanov and from the latter’s shot Hibs keeper Daniel Balzan being forced to dive and save.

Hibs soon regained the initiative by creating more danger from a series of set pieces.

Three minutes before the break Sliema went very close to break the deadlock. Shawn Micallef served Mottola in the area from a long throw-in, Balzan partially saved his shot and the ball was cleared on the line from the rebound shot by Yordanov.

The second period was quite a balanced affair. Elkien Cauchi was fouled on the left flank by Sliema’s David Muscat, who was shown a yellow card, and Incorvaja saved the free-kick by Caruana. Micallef then served Mottola with a through ball on the left flank and the latter’s cross was cleared to a corner. Mark Scerri was then fouled outside the area by Caruana who was shown the red card and the free-kick shot by Scerri was blocked by the defensive barrier.

Mottola served Yordanov with a square pass, Balzan partially saved the latter’s hard grounder and a defender cleared the ball to safety.

The woodwork denied Hibs in the 67th minute. After a run down the right flank by Elkien Cauchi he entered the area after dribbling past two opponents, he then crossed to Caruana and from his shot the ball hit the base of the upright with Incorvaja beaten but a defender managed to clear the ball to safety.

Four minutes before normal time Sliema scored the all-important goal. Dorian Sammut served Mottola with a through ball inside Hibs’ half and after beating a defender he served Scerri with a square pas who netted with a grounder from inside the area.

A minute before the end Sammy Piscopo was shown a second yellow card for fouling Mottola and was eventually given marching orders.

Referee: Alexei Tabone

Player of the match: Valerio Mottola (Sliema W).

Birkirkara 1

St Andrew’s 0

The Birkirkara lads managed to win the three points after a very gallant performance despite playing with ten men for 54 minutes.

The one-man shortage was hardly felt, and on the contrary this seemed to have been an inspiration as from then on they played with better determination than their opponents being faster on the ball, sharper in their moves and above all their rearguard was a very hard nut to crack as Alan Attard and Carl Montebello were excellent in their interceptions and clearances and also found time to help their colleagues up front with perfect crosses after doing the overlap.

The St Andrew’s players committed the gravest of mistakes by trying to penetrate with high balls where Andrew Scicluna was a master with his timely interceptions.

St Andrew’s were the first to threaten as Edward Grima served Alan Calleja with a through ball on the left flank but he drove over the bar from the edge of the area.

The Stripes soon reacted, Alan Attard served Diansand Brincat with a perfect pass on the right flank but from his cross the ball was neutralized by St Andrews keeper Alexei Cauchi. Following this action St Andrew’s took the initiative again creating five actions in succession. Nicky Vella Petroni crossed from the right to Alan Calleja and Stripes keeper Christian Francica had to come out of his charge and fist the ball away, and later he was again forced to come out of his charge and kick the ball upfield to foil Edward Grima.

Timothy Martin served Grima with a ball in the area but his shot was cleared to a corner, Ben Diacono then served Grima with a long through ball in Birkirkara’s half and as he was about to enter the area he was tripped by Andrew Scicluna who was shown the red card.

From the free-kick shot by Vella Petroni, Francica partially saved his hard drive and a defender cleared the ball to safet. The Stripes keeper then had to dive to save a shot from outside the area by Martin after he was served with a short free-kick by Andrew Amato.

Before the break Birkirkara’s Clint Zammit served Charlon Sammut with a high through ball in the area and Cauchi saved his close range header.

In the second half Jordan Calleja served Martin with a through ball in the area but a Stripes defender cleared his shot to a corner, while at the other end, Charlon Sammut served Keith Fenech with a through ball in the area but Jordan Calleja foiled him from concluding with a perfect timely tackle.

In the 53rd minute Birkirkara opened the score. Diansand Brincat served Charlon Sammut with a through ball outside the Saints area, Jordan Calleja, in an attempt to back-head the ball to Cauchi served Sammut with a perfect pass, who running like a Derby winner, got possession of the ball and with Cauchi slightly out of his charge he lobbed the ball beautifully in the roof of the net.

St Andrew’s reaction after his goal was very immediate but the the Stripes kept up the pressure and created several other chances.

In the first minute of added time Jordan Calleja was shown the yellow card for a foul on the Stripes keeper, and in the fourth minute of added time Birkirkara went very close to score a second goal as Cauchi saved in two attempts a shot by Keith Fenech after he was put through in the area by Charlon Sammut.

Referee: Jonathan Bonello

Player of the match: Carl Montebello (Birkirkara)