Mosta 3

Melita 2

Mosta moved to second place in the table but with a game more than St george’s, when they beat Melita yesterday in a thrilling encounter.

Mosta built a two-goal lead in the first 25 minutes and looked set to dominate this match, but Melita came back from behind and equalized early in the second half. The match was very balanced after Melita’s equalizer but Mark Briggs’ freekick six minutes from time was decisive for the Blues.

Mark Briggs was one of the best for his side together with Gilbert Martin who had another outstanding match. To be fair melita did not deserve to leave the pitch empty handed, with Julian galea and Rudi Alinhio playing a great match.

Mosta did the early running with Simon Shead, Gilbert Martin and the returning Victor Osobu forming a great attacking trio. A Gilbert Martin shot on the turn missed the target and Simon Shead tested Zahra with a central effort.

On 13 minutes Mosta took a deserved lead when Gilbert Martin made his way inside the area and from an acute angle lobbed the ball over Zahra with the ball hitting the upright before finishing at the back of the net. Mosta continued to attack and could have doubled minutes later but Zahra saved Briggs freekick.

On 24 minutes Mosta doubled the score when Gilbert Martin passed towards Victor Osobu who was floored inside the area by Matthew Borg and from the resultant penalty Mark Briggs made no mistake.

Mosta were in the driving seat but Melita were not dead and buried yet. On the half hour they crawled back in the game when Rudi Alinhio scored a gem direct from a freekick. Six minutes later Mosta missed a glorious chance when Adrian Borg failed to head home with an open goal at his mercy.

At the other end Melita went close to the equalizing goal when Matthew Borg’s header anticipated Debono mistimed sortie but the ball went inches wide. Four minutes from the break Mosta went close again with Simon Shead failing to score following a William Camenzuli good run on the left.

On the resumption Melita were more determined and on 53 minutes they obtained the equalizer. Julian Galea had an impressive run on the right flank and crossed towards Nigel Rizzo who scored from close range. Minutes later Rizzo went close again with a scorcher from the edge of the area,that was brilliantly saved by Debono. Mosta lost an incredible scoring opportunity when Victor Osobu blasted over the bar with only Zahra to beat.

The match continued to be very interesting with Melita having a slight edge over the Blues. But Mosta forged ahead again six minutes from time when Mark Briggs beat Zahra direct from a direct freekick from the edge of the area.

Mosta J. Debono, A. Borg, K. Farrugia, M. Brincat, W. Camenzuli, N. Bogdanovic (B. Agius), M. Briggs, L. Grima, G. Martin, S. Shead (J. Bajada), V. Osobu (F. Aboulezz).

Melita K. Zahra, R. Alinhio, L. Martinelli, G. Gribbon, A. Caruana Scicluna (M. Martin), M. Borg(K. Vella Petroni), N. Rizzo, J. Galea, L. Micallef, S. Galea (N. Baldacchino), M. Batel.

Referee Paul Apap