Sliema won their first match this season at the expense of Young Stars.

The match started off at a lively pace and by the third minute Sliema had their first chance to open the score when Simon Baldacchino missed the posts after being set up by Liam Pace.

In the 12th minute Silvano Vassallo receiving well from a through ball by Clifford Deraffaele beat Sliema’s Luke Mallia with a reverse flick.

On the 20th Sliema equalised. A Mark Camilleri blunder inside his own D allowed Steve Cachia a slap shot at goal, which was saved by Waylin Abdilla, however from the rebound, Liam Pace made no mistake.

Young Stars could have forged ahead on two separate occasions when Nicky Agius Darmanin saw his rising hit just miss the crossbar after having received the ball from Christian Bonello. This effort was followed by another try on the 33rd when, this time it was Edward Hughes who missed the target when put through by Ivan Magro.

In the second half Young Stars tried very hard to get their act together and it was a timely save by Mallia off a push shot from Edward Hughes following a Short Corner action. However on the ninth Sliema won a short corner from which, Liam Pace gave no chance to Waylin Abdilla . Score 2 -1.

On the 11th min. from a short corner action Mark Camilleri was set up all alone in front of goal, but his effort completely missed the target.

Sliema could have increased the score on the 65th min with a fine through ball by Lucas Phlaen to Simon Baldacchino, with Abdilla coming out of his charge to kick away. From here on we witnessed a full surge forward by Young Stars to try and save the day. On the 32nd it had to be once again an experienced sortie by Luke Mallia when he managed to deflect to safety, a push shot by Nicky Agius Darmanin.

Pasta Poiatti Qormi 2

White Hart 0

This was the best the best match so far this season, both tactically and technically. The game was played at a very fast tempo with both sides creating several scoring chances especially during the second half.

By the seventh minute White Hart had already tested Chircop in Qormi’s goal on two separate occasions however on the 12th it was Qormi’s Ludwig Xuereb who hit wide when he was put through by Steven Tanti.

On the 15th Qormi, who by now seemed to have taken the upperhand, almost opened the score when a well taken hit by Daniel Micallef following a short corner action, just missed the post.

But the goal was in the air and on the 22nd the White Hart defence was caught on the wrong foot by a hard through ball from Jonathan Aquilina to Philip Magri, who ran into the D from a blind position to leave Vassallo Agius in goal bewildered.

Immediately from the pass back David Agius with a brilliant dribbling display saw his eventual hard hit at goal just missing the far upright. It was again D Agius on the 26th who missed when he was put through by Paul Torpiano.

On the 27th White Hart’s Sandro Bartolo saw his push shot deflected by Chircop with the ball flying past the whole length of an empty goalpost .

Between the 28th and 33rd minute White Hart forced four short corners: however, these did not create too much danger to the Qormi fort.

The second half started off again on a fast tempo with the first chance at goal on the 4th when Luke Borg Costanzi dribbled his way inside the opponents D to see his good worked bungled by his team mate Carl Tua.

After this Qormi were again in action when from a serious of short corners they made it 2-0; Daryl Dimech’s attempt was smothered by Vassallo Agius for the ball to end up on the goal line with 2 White Hart players well positioned to clear. However thanks to an inexplicable decision by the umpire, a goal was awarded out of the blue; even though he had already whistled for a short corner in favour of Qormi.

After this episode the game exploded into one of attacking hockey from both sides, the ball was swaying from one goalpost to the other with both goalkeepers coming into action several times.

On the 50th it was Paul Torpiano who tested Chircop. Then it was Vassallo Agius who saved well a hard hit from Daniel Micallef. On the 53rd it was David Agius who after having dribbled his way into the Qormi D hit just wide.

Immediately after it was Vassallo Agius who came out of his charge to deny Rudolph Camilleri and Qormi’s third. And on the 26th the protagonist was again Camilleri when he hit wide when well positioned.

Ramon Chircop again foiled White Hart when on the 28th he warded off Sandro Bartolo’s effort and he pulled yet another save off Carl Tua on the 30th.

He again distinguished himself when a minute later he had to leave his goal to block a strike by Luke Borg Costanzi when the latter was completely through.