Naxxar were very close to opening the score after ten minutes as Gilbert Camilleri’s point blank effort was saved by the Mellieha keeper.

Then Simon Gauci once again denied Naxxar off a close-range shot by Darren Falzon with Mellieha coming back with a series of attacks, going close through Nikolay Filipov on 28 minutes.

Two minutes later the Naxxar keeper Julian Azzopardi came to his side’s rescue, bringing off a difficult save to deny Philip Camilleri.

In the closing stages of the first-half Naxxar lost two clear opportunities through Gilbert Camilleri and Gabriel Buys Duarte.

Nine minutes after the restart Naxxar broke the deadlock through Darren Falzon who lobbed the ball over Mellieha’s keeper Simon Gauci who had come out rushing from his goal.

In the 58th minute Mellieha were kept out by Azzopardi who brought off a difficult save off a Philip Taylor free-kick and three minutes later the same player was once again denied by the Naxxar keeper.

At the other end Naxxar were very close on two occasions to increasing their lead through dangerous attempts by Darren Falzon and Andre Rocha Da Silva.

Naxxar continued to create the better opportunities with Falzon twice being denied by Gauci and on another occasion Andre Rocha Da Silva shot straight into the Mellieha keeper when all alone infront of goal.

However six minutes from time Naxxar sealed the issue with a second goal as a pass by Rocha Da Silva was concluded by Darren Falzon. In added time Mellieha had attempts by Connor Muchmore and Fabiano Bassi which ended just wide.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Mgarr U.-Zejtun C. 0-1

The first period proved to be a balanced affair between the leaders Zejtun Corinthians and bottom team Mgarr United.

Mgarr created the first opportunities as they were very close on two occasions through Johan Said and Ibrahim Tarek but in the 12th minute the Corinthians almost took the lead as a cross by Edward Azzopardi was headed by Kenneth Abela with the Mgarr keeper Claude Carbonaro bringing off a brilliant save.

In the 20th minute Abela crossed from the right flank and Carmel Formosa’s header was well saved by Carbonaro whereas on the half-hour a Charlo Magro free-kick just missed the target.

Zejtun kept pushing forward and in the 42nd minute they were again quite close through Carmel Formosa.

After the break Mgarr dictated the proceedings in the early stages and on 55 minutes a shot by Ibrahim Tarek finished just wide.

Two minutes later a Tarek free-kick was saved by the Zejtun keeper and in the 59th minute the Corintians replied through a cross by Silvio Sciberras which was headed oin by Kenneth Abela but the latter was ruled to be in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

Three minutes later the Zejtun keeper brought off an incredible save to stop a close-range shot by Chris Abela with Zejtun then having a shot by Kenneth Abel;a which finished just wide. As the match seemed heading for a goalless draw, Zejtun’s substitute Amadeo Mercieca thought otherwise as he managed to beat the Mgarr keeper from close-range for the goal that made all the difference.

Referee: Roberto Vella.

San Gwann FC-Zebbug R. 1-1

After just three minutes San Gwann could have taken the lead but a close-range shot by Mario Caruana was saved with difficulty by Jonathan Vella.

The Zebbug keeper then again did well to save a dangerouis crosshot by Chris Cacciattolo and in the 6th minute Zebbug replied through a cross by Clint Caruana but Timmy Thomas, all alone infront of goal, headed over the bar.

At the other end the Zebbug keeper was again brought into acrion as he brought off two good saves off attempts by Lee Galea and Mario Caruana and on another occasion Marco Mercieca shot just wide from a difficult position.

San Gwann continued to show the better football but four minutes before the break Zebbug broke away in a swift counter-attack and Clint Caruana managed to beat Justin Spiteri with an excellent shot to give the Rangers a 1-0 half-time lead.

After the change of ends Zebbug created the first opportunity through a Timmy Thomas free-kick which was blocked by a Saints’ defender.

However from then onwards it was San Gwann who did the attacking and in the 57th minute a cross by Alan Borg was met by Rangers’ defender Joe Mercieca who headed clear, almost committing an own-goal.

Then the Saints were very close through Alan Cacciattolo and on another occasion the Saints had a cross by Lee Galea and his team mate Mauro Busuttil was anticipated by a Rangers’ defender before he could conclude at goal.

San Gwann increased the pressure but it was Zebbug who lost a clear opportunity through Timmy Thomas in a counter-attack. However in added time San Gwann got the equalizer through a beautiful shot by substitute Mauro Busuttil.

Referee: Jude Utulu.

Zurrieq FC- Gzira U. 0-3

Gzira United and Zurrieq shared the exchanges throughout the first-half with Gzira gaining a free-kick in the 13th minute with Yanis Tonna’s shot finishing just high over the bar.

At the other end Zurrieq were close through Joseph Lia but in the 23rd minute Gzira had a free-kick taken by Josef Felice and Cedric Sciberras headed in past Rueben Debono from close-range to give the Maroons a 1-0 lead.

A minute later Zurrieq went close through Johan Briffa and in the 28th minute a free-kick taken by Josef Briffa finished just wide.

On 39 minutes Zurrieq missed a clear opportunity through Dylan Sciberras and two minutes later they were denied by Gerada off a Johan Briffa free-kick. Two minutes before the break Gzira wasted a clear goal scoring opportunity through Roberto Brincat.

Just two minutes after the restart Zurrieq could have got back on level terms but Darren Bellizzi’s close-range header was well saved by Kyle Gerada.

In the 57th minute Gzira replied through an attempt by Cedric Sciberras which just missed the target and four minutes later a Josef Felice free-kick was saved with difficulty by Rueben Debono.

Zurrieq pushed forward but they were never really menacing in front of goal with Gzira being very close to a second goal through Josef Felice from a well-taken direct free-kiick. A minute from time Gzira won a free-kick which was taken by Josef Felice and Richard Attard headed in past Debono to make it 2-0.

Two minutes into injury-time Roberto Brincat ended a personal with a low shot which finished at the back of the net for Gzira’s third and final goal.

Referee: Paul Apap.

Rabat A.-St Patrick FC 0-0

After 10 minutes the Saints were denied by the Rabat keeper off a close-range effort by Glen Barry. In the 25th minute Rabat had a Yan Cauchi cross-shot which finished just high over the bar and two minutes later Adam Smeir shot just wide from the edge of the penalty area.

The Saints replied on the half-hour through Glen Barry who however shot straight into Azzopardi from close-range to waste a clear opportunity and five minutes later Rabat could have taken the lead as Adam Smeir’s shot was somehow blocked on the goal line.

Just before the break Rabat were again close through an Adam Smeir free-kick.

Early on in the second period the Saints had a Gordon Failla free-kick which finished just high over the bar and in the 58th minute another Failla free-kick was well saved by Azzopardi.

Gradually Rabat started dominating the proceedings and on the hour a shot by Chris Muscat was saved with difficulty by Joshua Galea.

Then Emeka Basil Onuta hit just wide with a low angled shot and on another occasion the post denied David Azzopardi. In the 73rd minute Saints’ defender Ilyad Scicluna was booked for a second time and was sent off with Rabat then twice going close through Adam Smeir and Yan Cauchi.

Late in the match Rabat missed a sitter through Adam Smeir and the same striker was again careless in injury-time as he shot wide from a clear position.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Birzebbuga SP- Senglea Ath 2-0

Birzebbuga St Peter’s were the better team throughout the first-half but it was Senglea who went close in the 14th minute with Tyrone Thomas shooting from just outside the penalty area with the ball just going over the bar.

Barely three minutes later Birzebbuga’s youngster Keith Muscat did all the work on the right flank with Carlos Camenzuli beating George Attard from close-range to give his team the lead.

Then Camenzuli was again close and on the half-hour Senglea were denied by Gabriel Mansueto off a shot by Brady Zerafa. Senglea were then again very close through Stephen Calleja with Birzebbuga being denied by the Senglea keeper off a Carlos Camenzuli free-kick.

In the 42nd minute Birzebbuga made it 2-0 as Camenzuli laid on a perfect pass for Keith Muscat to beat the Senglea keeper from the edge of the penalty area.

After the break Senglea did the attacking but they were kept out by a solid Birzebbuga defence.

The Saints could have increased their lead in the 53rd minute through Noel Tabone whose back header hit the crossbar and in the 66th minute the same player shot just wide from close-range.

Five minutes later a cross by Clive Formosa was headed on by Carlos Camenzuli but the ball was deflected by a Senglea defender and in the 79th minute Senglea were close to reducing the arrears when a strong shot by Glen Brincat finished just wide.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.