Mosta demolish Saints and wait for Melita’s answer
Mosta 6
St Andrew’s 1
Mosta finished their commitments with an easy victory over St Andrew’s, and will now wait eagerly for Melita’s answer next week when Melita face Lija in the final match of the season. A victory for Melita will mean a decider between Melita and Mosta for the third team to be promoted, whilst any other results will mean certain promotion for Mosta.
The Blues arguably played one of their best matches lately after some disappointing performances. But yesterday the Blues were determined against a gallant St Andrew’s side who gave the Blues a good run for their money in the first fourty five minutes, but the Saints faded away miserably in the second half. Striker Simon Shead was in brilliant form scoring four oals to become the league’s top scorer.
Mosta had a good start and on four minutes Adrian Borg headed over the bar from an ideal position. The Saints hit back with a well executed move and a shot from Eddie Grima going inches high.
On 15 minutes Simon Shead failed to connect to an inviting cross from the left flank by William Camenzuli. On 23 minutes the Saints went close again when Michael Grima passed towards Eddie Grima who face to face with the Mosta goalkeeper fired straight on the onrushing Mosta custodian.
On the other end, Mosta’s best player Gilbert Martin shot slightly wide from an acute angle. On 28 minutes Mosta forged ahead when Mark Briggs shot home direct from a freekick for a great goal.
Sixty seconds later the Saints could have obtained an equalizer but Mosta goalkeeper Debono brought the house down saving brilliantly a point blank shot by Eddie Grima.
William Camenzuli hit the side netting direct form a freekick and on 37 minutes Mosta doubled the sc ore. St Andrews goalkeeper Carandente was hesitant on a Bryan Agius cross from the left flank and striker Simon Shead pounced on the bal to shoot in an empty net.
Carandente made amends two minutes later, this time denying Simon Shead a certain goal, and then the same goalkeeper blocked Bogdanovic’s shot from the rebound. In Mosta’s last attempt before the break, Carandente blocked Aboulezz’s central effort.
The second half started with Mosta going close through William Camenzuli but his shots were blocked by Carandente. The Saints goalkeeper again came to his side’s rescue minutes later again denying Simon Shead, but the the Saints custodian could do nothing to stop Simon Shead from scoring the third goal after a well orchestrated move.
On 58 minutes Mosta scored a fourth goal when Gilbert Martin crossed from the right towards Simon Shead who first timed beautifully home to earn his hat trick.
Goals kept flowing in as Simon Shead scored his fourth goal on 73 minutes and defender Kenneth Spiteri made it six four minutes later. Two minutes from time William Camilleri scored a consolation goal for St Andrew’s who finished the game with ten players when captain Jonathan Briscoe White was sent off after his second booking.
Mosta – J. Debono, K. Farrugia, M. Briggs (L. Micallef), G. Martin (Q. Bregman), A. Borg, N. Bogdanovic (L. Grima), B. Agius, K. Spiteri, W. Camenzuli, S. Shead, F. Aboulezz.
St. Andrew’s – F. Carandente, G. Fenech, J. Bugeja, N. Chetcuti, P. Briscoe White, W. Camilleri, F. Akanua, J. Briscoe White, K. Galea (J.P. Calleja), E. Grima (K. Coleiro), M. Grima (M. Desira Buttigieg).
Referee – Paul Caruana
Okachi brace hands Dingli victory over Lija
Lija A 1
Dingli S 2
Princewill Okachi scored a brace to give Dingli Swallows their fifth victory this season, and also a double over Lija after their 1-0 victory in the first round.
The victory lifts Dingli to eighth place in the table whilst Lija remain in fifth place. The victory is however flattering for Dingli as Lija did not deserve to finish on the loosing end.
The match never reached high standards and was boring at times especially in the first half. Lija had more of the bal but goal mouth actions were rare with the only shot of the first half coming from Lija’s Johann Spiteri with the bal finishing over the roof of the net.
In the second half Lija increased the pressure and were constantly on the offensive, with Dingli playing the waiting game, using Chirino and Okachi for their fast breaks.
On the resumption a Daniel Scerri first timer finished well over the bar, with Lija’s best move coming on the hour when substitute Antignolo crossed towards Keith Darmanin whose first time effort was well blocked by Jeffrey Farrugia.
On 75 minutes Dingli took a surprise lead when Princewill Okachi pounced on a Lija defensive blunder, beat Kurt Formosa on the run and scored with a low shot past the helpless Sean Mintoff.
Lija had an immediate and effective reaction, obtaining the equalizer four minutes later. A Darmanin cross caused havoc in the Dingli defence and Beppe Antignolo solved the melee when he shot low past Jeffrey Farrugia.
Lija were not happy with the draw as they pushed everything forward in the remaining minutes in search of the winning goal.
Defender Martin Camilleri had the match ball four minutes from time, but he blasted wide from an ideal position. Lija paid dearly for this as in stoppage time Chirino passed towards Princewill Okachi who was too fast for the lanky Lija defence as the Dingli striker dribbled past goalkeeper Mintoff before scoring the winer.
Lija A – S. Mintoff, M. Camilleri, J. Spiteri, D. Scerri, M. Potezica, W. Borg St John (B. Antignolo), K. Darmanin, A. Sacco, K. Formosa (A. Spiteri), A. Scicluna, M. Fleri Soler.
Dingli S – J. Farrugia, K. Pace, R. Sammut, S. Tellus, K. Borg, C. Ciappara (K. Bonavia), L. Konda, P. Okachi, E. Farrugia, C. Caruana (J. Chirino), R. Briffa (C. Azzopardi).
Referee – Adrian Azzopardi