APS Bank U-16 Section A

St Andrews met their Waterloo after a positive run of eight games in which they managed to win maximum points. They still occupy top spot on 24 points from 9 games. Sliema are in second place with 19 points from same number of games. The game was played at a very fast pace and watched by a good-sized crowd who defied the Sunday morning cold weather.

Sliema took the lead in their first attack after only two minutes when Klinsman Grech was fouled on the left flank of the area, Ray Attard floated a perfect ball in the Saints area from the resultant free kick and Yanis Tonna headed the ball past Saints keeper Gianluca Fino.

In a prompt reaction by the Saints they created two actions in succession: Michael Lowell headed slightly out from inside the area, after a run down the left flank by Michael Grima the ball was cleared by a defender. The score became level on 15 minutes. After a well-taken free kick by Nicky Vella Petroni Blues keeper Nikki Azzopardi fumbled the ball and Michael Lowell had the easiest of tasks to place the ball in an empty net.

The second period was dominated by St Andrewss with Sliema creating only three actions. Azzopardi saved in two attempts a shot from outside the area by Vella Petroni after a square pass by Michael Grima and minutes later he saved to a corner a free kick shot by Andrewss Amato after Grima was fouled on the left flank. After a well-taken flag kick by Amato the ball was cleared with difficulty.

In the 63rd minute the referee showed the yellow card to Sliema player Dorian Sammut for time-wasting, to St Andrewss player William Camilleri and Sliema player Ray Attard for trying to adopt a fighting attitude.

In a rare Sliema attack, Mercieca served Grech with a through ball on the right flank and after he entered the area the ball was cleared to a throw-in by a defender, at the other end,Vella Petroni served Grima in the area from a free kick but the latter’s cross-shot from the left finished out, and in a Sliema counter-attack, Tonna was fouled on the right flank and after the free kick shot by Attard the ball was slightly headed out by Merlin Mifsud.

In the second minute of added time Sliema scored the winner. Dorian Sammut served Grech from a throw-in on the right flank who then served Mercieca in the area and scored with a low shot past a helpless Fino, seconds after this winning goal Klinsmann Grech was shown a second yellow card for time-wasting which meant automatic dismissal.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Player of the match: Michael Grima (St Andrews )

APS Bank U-16 Section C

A very low key game was expected between these two teams as Gzira are lying in 6th position and Xghajra are third from bottom,but all those present were proved wrong as we watched a very keen game and no less than six goals were scored. Referee Ray Tabone had firm control of the proceedings, allowed no nonsense and was always up with play.

Xghajra opened the score in the 22nd minute when from a welltaken flag kick by Cini the Gzira keeper fumbled the ball after a misunderstanding between him and defender Andre White and Dale Bonnici headed the ball into an empty net. But their joy was short-lived as Gzira equalized four minutes later. Chris testa floated a perfect ball in the area from a free kick and the ball was cleared on the line after a shot by Cleaven Vella and Dylan Attard score with a hard grounder from the rebound.

Gzira scored a second goal in the 34th minute as Matthew Galea served Dominic Sciberras in the area and was tripped by a defender and the same player made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-1. Three minutes later Xghajra were denied an equaliser by the woodwork. A minute before the half time whistle Gzira were reduced to ten men as Daniel Vella was shown the red card for a vicious foul.

Three minutes after restart Gzira scored a third goal when from a flag kick by Matthew Galea the ball was partially saved by Xghajra keeper Mercieca, a defender partly cleared the ball and Dominic Sciberras shot in the rebound.

Xghajra reduced the gap in the 58th minute when Cini served Scerri in the area who scored with a lobbed ball as the Gzira keeper came out of his charge to narrow the angle and the score became 2-3. Sciberras should have made it 4-2 for Gzira in the 61st minute but he headed out from a very ideal position following a corner kick by Galea. A second red card was shown to Xghajra player Christopher Scerri in the 66 minute for striking an opponent.

Xghajra equalised in the 69th minute. Rudy Grech floated a high ball in the area from the throw-in and a Gzira defender handled the ball and Mario Agius made no mistake from the spot.

Referee: Ray Tabone

Player of the match: Matthew Galea (Gzira Utd)