APS Bank U/15 Section B

Birzebbuga WM 0

Rabat D. 3

Following this game both teams are in the danger zone, Rabat are third from bottom on 6 points from seven games and Birzebbuga are in penultimate place with only three points also from seven games.

Very few were the actions worthy of note in the first period with the early pressure coming from the south sea-siders. Nicolai Tabone served Jean C Grech in the area and Rabat keeper Andrew Zammit foiled him with a timely sortie and later he denied Tabone after a Clayton Camilleri through ball and also saved a free kick shot by Mattea Cutajar after Christopher Cutajar was fouled on the right flank.

In the first action by Rabat, Jamie Muscat served Karl Micallef with a cross from the left flank but Nicolai Attard foiled him with a timely clearence, and the last two actions before the break came from Birzebbuga. Grech was fouled just outside the area and Zammit had to effect a diving save from the free kick shot by Mattea Cutajar and he also denied Tabone with a timely sortie after a Muscat through ball.

Rabat created the first action after restart when they won a free kick on the left flank which was taken by Etienne Scicluna, the ball was partly cleared and from the rebound shot by Micallef, Birzebbuga keeper Johann Mercieca effected a fine diving save.

Birzebbuga reacted by creating two actions in a row: Luke Tabone served Nicolai Tabone in the area and Zammit denied him with a diving save and Mattea Cutajar served Grech with a through ball in the area and the ball missed the upright with Zammit beaten.

In the 47 th minute Rabat opened the score when Gilbert Gauci served Muscat with a cross from the left flank and he scored with a low shot from inside the area. In a Birzebbuga reaction, Mattea Cutajar was fouled just outside the area and Zammit saved the free kick shot by the same player, while at the other end a corner kick by Christian Schembri created havoc in Birzebbuga's are but the ball was somehow cleared to safety.

In the 59th minute the woodwork denied Birzebbuga the equaliser when Christopher Cutajar served Mattea Cutajar with a long throw-in in the area and the ball thumped the bar from his shot with Zammit completely beaten.

The second goal was scored in the first minute of added time as Attard served substitute Mark Dalli with a cross from the left and he netted from close range and a minute later the score became 3-0 when the same player served substitute Nathan Borg with a cross from the left and he scored from inside the area.

Referee: Albert Borg Cardona

Player of the match: Mattea Cutajar (Birzebbuga)

Easy for leaders

APS Bank U/17 Section B

St. Andrew’s 6

Mellieha 0

Leaders St Andrew had an easy outing against Mellieha who lie fifth from bottom having only 10 points from 10 games.

St Andrew enjoyed the lion's share of exchanges throughout the whole 80 minutes with Mellieha creating only three occasions. The hammering commenced as early as the 8th minute when Julian Farrugia released Luke Cesare on the left flank and after he was fouled on the left edge of the area Jon Calleja scored a beauty with a rising shot from the resultant free kick.

In Mellieha's only action in the first period, Blaine Muchmore was fouled outside the area and the ball was blocked by the defensive barrier from the free kick shot by Chris Grima.

Encouraged by such an early lead, St Andrew resumed with their pressing. Calleja served Matteo Desira Buttigieg in the area but Mellieha keeper James Grima saved his effort with a diving save.

Karl Mifsud Bonnici then served Cesare in the area, Grima partly saved his effort and the ball was cleared and minutes later Desira Buttigieg missed the upright after he was put through by Cesare.

The score was doubled on the half hour as Desira Buttigieg served Cesare in the area and Grima partly saved his shot, the same player netted from the rebound and in the last action before the break the same player missed the upright with a header after a cross from the left flank by Julian Farrugia.

Mellieha created the first action after restart. Benjamin Bartolo was fouled just outside the area, Kyle Simiana served Bartolo with a short pass but he missed the upright from inside the area. The Saints soon reacted, Nicholas Bradshaw set Karl Mifsud Bonnici free on the right flank and Grima saved his cross-shot in two attempts.

The score became 3-0 in the 50 th minute from a header by Bradshaw after a well-taken corner kick by Cesare, and eight minutes later the same palyer scored a fourth goal after a perfect cross by Cesare.

The score became 5-0 on the hour when Bradshaw was fouled on the left edge of the area, Grima partly saved Calleja's free kick shot and substitute Michael Johnson was on hand to score from the rebound.

In a rare Mellieha attack, Bartolo won a loose ball in his own half and after dribbling past three opponents he entered the area but substitute keeper Gianluca Felice denied him with a good save, and the sixth and final goal was score five minuted from the end through Luke Curmi after a perfect cross from the left by Calleja.

Referee: Keith Buhagiar

Player of the match: Jon P Calleja (St Andrew)