St Andrew’s managed to obtain a point from their last five games as they lost their previous four games and also lost top spot which they occupied for quite a long time. They now lie in third place on 25 points from 13 games while the Stripes are in eighth position having 15 points from 12 games.

The first period was a balanced affair with both teams having their good moments.

In a Saints attack, Nicky Vella Petroni served with a through ball in the area and Stripes keeper Christian Francica foiled him from concluding by diving at his feet and smothered the ball.

Francica had to come out of his charge to foil Edward Mercieca from concluding after he was put through in the area by Edward Grima. In the 27th minute, Birkirkara went very close to open the score. Massimo Chircop served Nicky Zammit on the right flank and he tried his luck from outside the area with the ball missing the bar by a whisker with Fino completely beaten.

St Andrew’s created the last two actions before the break. Andrew Amato served Vella Petroni from a freekick and Francica was forced to dive and save his hard drive from outside the area and after Kurt Galea served Grima in the area the ball missed the upright by inches from his lob-shot.

During the second half, St Andrew’s enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges. Andrew Amato served Matthew Fenech in the area, the ball was cleared to a corner by a Stripes defender, which was taken by Michael Grima and the ball was headed away with difficulty, and in a Stripes counter attack, Gatt served Nicky Zammit in the area and Fino turned his shot to a corner.

From a flagkick by Michael Grima the ball was cleared to another corner which was taken by Andrew Amato and Edward Grima failed to apply the killer touch from two metres with only Francica to beat and two minutes before the end St Andrew’s nearly scored a dramatic winner when Edward Grima served Edward Mercieca in the area and the ball missed the upright by inches from his shot with Francica completely beaten.

Referee ? Sammy Attard

Player of the match ? Edward Grima (St Andrew’s)

APS Bank U/16 Section B

Naxxar L 2

Rabat D 6

The final result is a clear indication that Rabat had an easy task to dispose of the feeble challenge offered by Naxxar who were not their usual selves. I have never watched Naxxar playing so bad at least Saturday. On the other hand, Rabat were very precise in their passing and inter-changing and they ware also faster on the ball and sharper in their moves.

Rabat drew first blood in the 14th minute. After a run down the right flank by Christian Incorvaja, who outsped two opponents in the process, served David Azzopardi in the area who scored with a low shot, the same player came close to add another goal a minute later as Micallef saved his shot in two attempts after he was served with a square pass by Roderick Vassallo.

The pressure by Rabat kept piling up and David Azzopardi missed the bar by inches with a shot from outside the area after he pounced on a faulty clearance.

In the 30th minute, Rabat were awarded a penalty when Roderick Vassallo was tripped in the area after he was put through by Christian Vassallo but Ryan Micallef skied the ball over the bar from the spot. The score became level in the 36th minute. Andrea Farrugia dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and served Ryan Sammut with a cross who netted with a hard grounder from inside the area, but their joy was short-lived as three minutes later Rabat re-established their slender lead. After a run down the right flank by Ryan Micallef he served Roderick Vassallo with a cross who rose above friend and foe and headed the ball beautifully in the net.

Three minutes after restart the sore became 3-1. Karl Micallef served Ryan Micallef with a long throw-in outside the area who after side-stepping a defender he scored with a hard grounder. In the 48th minute Rabat won a corner kick on the left flank and David Azzopardi scored direct from the quadrant into the far post with the ball being helped by the strong wind.

In a Naxxar rare attack Kurt Farrugia served substitute Andrea Del Negro with a through ball in the area but the Rabat keeper saved his grounder.

The pressure from Rabat was incessant and they added two further goals in as much as many minutes between the 64th and 65th minute. Roderick Vassallo scored from inside the area after a cross-pass from the right by Ryan Micallef and the same player did likewise after a through pass by Christian Vassallo.

Assured of the result, Rabat reduced their pressing and the last three actions before the end were all created by Naxxar and in the last occasion they scored a second goal. Andrea Del Negro served Ryan Sammut with a through ball on the left flank and the Rabat keeper turned the ball to a corner after his cross, and later he had to tip the ball over the bar for a corner after a shot from outside the area by Andrea Del Negro and four minutes before the end they scored a second goal through Ryan Sammut after he was put through in the area by Craig Dingli.

Referee - Jude Utulu

Player of the match - Roderick Vassallo (Rabat D)