APS Bank U-14 Section A

Floriana 3

Valletta 1

This City and Suburb Derby was watched by a sizeable crowd at St Aloysius ground. Following this game, Floriana are in fourth place on 16 points from eight games and this was their fifth win in a row while Valletta are in bottom place with only five points from eight games and they only managed to win one point from their last four outings. Their keeper Janiro Camilleri saved them from a heavier defeat with good saves on shots by Chris Grech and Glenn Chircop.

The first action was crested by Valletta as they won a corner kick on the right flank, which was well taken by Cruff Grixti. Greens keeper Jurgen Borg partially fisted the ball outside the area and Ozmer Cassar drove out from the rebound shot. In the first attack by Floriana in the eighth minute they opened the score when Marco Vella served Glenn Chircop with a through ball outside the area and after he entered the area he scored with a hard grounder.

Encouraged by this early lead, Floriana kept pressing and came close to increase their lead on two occasions between the 12th and 14th minute. Christopher Grech pounced on a loose ball outside City’s area and after beating two defenders Camilleri tipped the ball over the bar with a fine save and Marco Vella served Glenn Chircop with a through ball and again Camilleri had to tip the ball to a corner to save the hard drive by Chircop.

Valletta reacted when Waqil Rizisalla served Ismael Fenech in Floriana’s area with a through ball but the Greens’ keeper foiled him with a timely sortie. From the same action Camilleri served Sasha Borg with a long drop kick who after advancing won a corner on the right flank from which he served Joshua Cutajar with a short pass and Camilleri saved his shot from outside the area.

Jeremy Baldacchino floated a perfect ball from a freekick in City’s area and Brooke Farrugia headed the ball just over the bar and four minutes before the break Floriana doubled the score. Glenn Chircop was served with a long ball outside city’s area. Camilleri came out of his charge to smother the ball. Chircop kept chasing the ball and managed to gain possession and served Sasha Borg with a low cross in the area who netted with a hard grounder in an empty net.

There were only six actions worthy of note in the second period. Two minutes after restart, Sasha Borg pounced on a faulty clearance just outside City’s area and the ball missed the bar by inches from his hard drive with Camilleri beaten. In the 35th minute, Chris Grech served Sasha Borg with a through ball on the left flank who in turn crossed to Glenn Chircop. The latter square passed the ball to Carl Dalli who was unmarked in the area and standing just one metre away from the goal line he incredibly drove out with an open goal at his mercy.

After a well taken free kick shot by Cruff Grixti the ball sailed over Floriana’s bar and in the 42nd minute Valletta pulled one back after winning a corner kick on the right flank which was taken by Grixti and created havoc in the Greens area and Rizisalla scored with a close range shot.

Floriana put the issue beyond any doubt in the 49th minute when Chris Grech served Sasha Borg with a through ball on the left flank. He out sped a defender and after entering the area and drove the ball in the net from behind the City keeper who had come out slightly out of his charge expecting a cross. The last action before the break came from Floriana as substitute Zachary Mizzi served Brooke Farrugia with a cross from the left flank but he drove slightly out from inside the area missing the upright by inches.

Referee:Karl Galea

Player of the match: Christopher Grech (Floriana)