Attard 1

Gozo 4

This game kicked off 20 minutes late as referee Jude Utulu arrived at the dressing room at 13.10 hours, that is ten minutes after kick-off time.

The Gozitans were the better outfit in this game as they created much more occasions than Attard, who were penned in their own half for long stretches and tried very hard to operate on the break.

The youngsters from the sister island went straight on the offensive and Christoff Caruana served Roberto Sammut with a cross from the right but the latter’s effort from outside the area was cleared to a corner.

Damon Hili then dribbled past an opponent and his long-range shot was also cleared to a corner. Christoff Caruana later served Andrew Attard on the right flank and Attard keeper Kieran Micallef neutralised the ball from his cross while Christoff Caruana served Stefan Cassar outside the area but he drove over the bar.

In the 22nd minute Gozo opened the score when Sammut served Cassar with a cross from the left and he scored with a rising shot from outside the area.

In the 24th minute Attard were reduced to 10 men as Nick Ghio was shown the red card after a second bookable offence.

In Attard’s only action, a minute before the break they nearly equalised. Jean Borg was fouled in midfield, Bernard Balzan floated a perfect high ball in the area from the free kick and the ball was cleared on the line from a shot by Liam Mangion. 

The second period was a carbon copy of the first with Gozo dominating the proceedings.

The score became 2-0 two minutes after the restart. Cassar entered the area after dribbling past two opponents and scored with a hard diagonal drive.

Joshua Buttigieg made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute from inside the area after a cross from the right flank by Christoff Caruana.

Attard reduced the gap in the 50th minute when Jean Borg was fouled in midfield, the same player floated a high ball in the area from the free kick Andrew Galea scored with a lobbed ball over the onrushing Gozo keeper Paul Cremona.

The Gozitans kept pressing and scored a fourth goal in the 56th minute with a choral move between three players. Hili served Cassar with a through ball outside the area who, in turn, served Attard in the area and scored with a low shot.

The last two actions before the end were also created by Gozo. Cassar served Hili with a cross from the left and Micallef saved his effort from outside the area in two attempts. Then Cassar served Hili in the area but he drove out from two metres with only Micallef to beat.

Referee: Jude Utulu

Player of the match: Damon Hili (Gozo)