The final score is a clear indication of the difference between the two teams.

Floriana dominated the game during the whole 60 minutes. Keeper Jacques Grima had a very easy Saturday afternoon as he only touched the ball four times, two of which were back passes from his colleagues.

Floriana occupy fourth place on 22 points from 11 games while Mellieha are fourth from bottom having only eight points from same number of games.

Floriana started on the offensive from the very first whistle and won three corner kicks between the second and sixth minutes. Sasha Borg entered the area after beating a defender and Mellieha keeper Mark Grima turned his shot to a corner.

The rout commenced in the ninth minute as Marco Vella served Bernard Pisani with a long pass from a freekick and he scored after entering the area. Borg then headed slightly over the bar following a corner kick by Brooke Farrugia and Mark Grima saved a freekick shot by Borg after Farrugia was fouled on the right flank.

The score became 2-0 in the 18th minute as Pisani obtained a brace after he was served with a cross pass from the right by Joshua Cutajar and five minutes later Farrugia scored a third goal direct from a corner kick from the left flank.

The last two actions before the break were created by Mellieha, after a run down the left flank by Benjamin Bartolo he executed a cross but the ball found no takers.

Floriana, assured of the result, eased their pressure after resumption but still they managed to add two further goals despite being reduced to 10 men in the 41st minute when Joshua Cutajar was shown a red card for retaliation. In the 45th minute, Mellieha created their only occasion of the second period when Wayne Chetcuti served Simiana with a through ball but Jeremy Baldacchino foiled him from concluding with a timely tackle.

Mark Grima then neutralised the ball from a cross from the left flank by Borg after he was served with a through ball by Christopher Grech. The score became 4-0 in the 51st minute as Grech served Borg on the left flank and after beating a defender he entered the area and scored with a cross shot from a very acute angle.

Hardly two minutes later Borg served Grech with a long throw-in in the area and he missed the upright with his shot and the fifth and final goal was scored two minutes from the end through substitute Luca Casha who scored from inside the area after being served with a through pass by Grech.

Referee: Luke Portelli

Player of the match: Sasha Borg (Floriana)

APS Bank U-16 Section A

San Gwann win keen game

Birkirkara 0

San Gwann 2

This match was watched by a sizeable crowd who surely enjoyed and appreciated the gallant effort put up by both sets of youngsters. We witnessed a very keen game played at a very fast pace. Following this match Birkirkara are in ninth position on 15 points from 13 games while San Gwann are in eighth position on 17 points from same number of games.

Birkirkara enjoyed the lion’s share of exchanges in the first period. San Gwann tried very hard to operate on the break but the Stripes midfield sector was leaving no gaps and was well marshalled by Rowen Muscat with his timely interceptions.

His precise passes were a delight to watch and also found time to help his forwards after the resumption. A bright future lies ahead of him and I would not be surprised if he will be included in the senior string.

Andreas Galea served Kyle Civelli with a through ball in the area and San Gwann keeper Matthias Vella turned his shot to a corner. Later he saved a header by Galea after a cross from the right by Massimo Chircop who was served with a through pass by Lee Borg.

In the 18th minute the woodwork denied Birkirkara. Galea served Gatt with a through ball in the area and the ball hit the upright from his shot with Vella beaten and the ball was cleared with difficulty, in an identical move minutes later a San Gwann defender cleared the ball to a corner. Vella came to his side’s rescue once again as he saved a header by Gatt after a cross from the right by Lee Borg.

San Gwann created their first action after 32 minutes when Glenn Agius served Jamin Farrugia with a through ball in the area, his shot was partially cleared and from the rebound shot by Steve Pisani the ball missed the bar by inches.

At the other end, Kelvin Caruana served Andreas Galea with a cross from the right, the latter served Gatt in the area and Vella saved his shot and in the last action just before the half-time whistle San Gwann nearly opened the score against the run of play. Glenn Agius served Farrugia with a through ball on the left flank and from his cross shot the ball whizzed past the far post with Stripes keeper Christian Francica beaten.

The second period was a balanced affair as both teams had their good moments with the Stripes creating the first two occasions.

After a well-taken flagkick by Christian Gatt the ball missed the bar by inches from a header by Rowen Muscat and after Gatt was fouled on the right flank of the area, from the freekick shot by the same player Muscat headed slightly out.

In the 54th minute, San Gwann forged ahead as Steve Pisani, after beating a defender he served Farrugia with a through ball in the area he scored with a low shot. In a quick Stripes?reaction, Karl Montebello served Caruana with a cross from the left but he missed the upright with his close range shot and minutes later the San Gwann keeper brought the house down with a fine save as he tipped the ball over the bar after a freekick shot by Gatt.

Birkirkara were reduced to 10 men in the 65th minute as Matthew Cassar was shown a second yellow card.

The final pressure came from San Gwann. Peter Xuereb served Farrugia with a through pass on the right flank who in turn served Pisani with a cross in the area. Francica partially saved his shot and also the rebound shot by the same player.

Pisani served Farrugia in the area and Francica saved his shot to a corner. In the second minute of added time San Gwann doubled the score through Farrugia who scored from inside the area after he was put through by Agius.

Referee: Pierre Bonnici

Player of the match: Rowen Muscat (Birkirkara)