Pembroke A 1

Ghaxaq 1

In a top of the table clash, league leaders Pembroke Athleta and second placed Ghaxaq figured in an exciting 1-1 draw. Pembroke thus lost their hundred per cent record after five consecutive victories as both sides remained the only unbeaten sides in the category.

Ghaxaq had a better start and took the lead on 23 minutes after a fine solo run by Bjorn Dalli. Pembroke found the going hard but only went close near the end of the first half when they had a goal disallowed.

Pembroke’s equaliser came immediately on the resumption when Vojko Martinov failed to core from the penalty spot, but was on hand to hit home the rebound.

Both played their best to obtain the all important winner, but both sides had to settle for a well deserved draw at the final whistle.

Pembroke A: R. Debattista, K. Sultana, T. Naudi, R. Zammit (J.C. Borg), J. Mifsud, V. Martinovic, A. Galea, G. Spiteri, C. Leonardi (B. Cremona), D. Calleja Cremona, L. Grech

Ghaxaq: J. Verbina, E. Dimech, M. Cassar, M. Axiaq (M. Vassallo), L. Alla, J. Caruana (M. Grech), R. D’Amato, F. Galea, B. Parnis, A. Caruana (C. Xuereb), B. Dalli.

Referee: Matthew Degabriele

Swieqi U 0

Marsa 0

Swieqi and Marsa figured in a drab scoreless draw, giving Marsa their second point of the season.

The Red Blues are still in search of their first victory and went very close on 15 minutes when they hit the post through William Debattista.

Scoring chances were scarce with both sides unable to lift the level of play above mediocrity. Marsa were slightly better throughout the match but failed to score the winning goal.

Three minutes from time Marsa had another golden opportunity but Yusef Abdullehi failed to score with only Swieqi goalkeeper Bugeja to beat.

Swieqi U: L. Bugeja, B. Buhagiar, I. Sciclun, S. Sammut, K. Calleja, N. Zammit, S. Psaila (T. Hampton), S. Diacono, F. debono, E. Sciberras (C. Dalli), D. Bianco (D. McKean)

Marsa: D. Grima, C. Cremona, B. Zammit, K. Scerri, S. Cutajar, E. Vella, J.P. Zammit, J. Camilleri, W. Debattista (K. Brincat), P. Chircop, Y. abdullahi

Referee: Enaud Grech

Mgarr U 3

Xghajra T 1

Led by a brilliant Mark Deguara, Mgarr staged a second half recovery to bat Xghajra Tornadoes 3-1, and notch the third victory of the season.

Xghajra were the better team in the opening stages, even taking the lead through Lizio Grech. But Mgarr gradually took control of the match and before the break a Gauci shot was cleared off the goal line by Camilleri.

In the second half Mgarr were in full command and obtained a deserved equaliser on 62 minutes when substitute Russell Marmara headed home a Mark Deguara cross.

Deguara was unlucky when his shot hit the post and on 75 minutes Mgarr won a penalty when Sinclair Camilleri handled inside the box. From the penalty spot Chris Abela made no mistake.

A minute from time Mgarr’s best player Mark Deguara put the issue beyond doubt with the third goal scored from an acute angle.

Mgarr U: J. Borg, M. Mifsud, M. Bugeja, J. Said, J. Ebejer, C. Tabone, J. Gauci (V. Petrovic), C. Abela, M. Muscat (R. Marmara), M. Deguara, P. Fenech (W. Camilleri)

Xghajra T: R. Camilleri, A. Vella, S. Camilleri, C. Magro, N. Attard (B.Magro), K. Caruana, A.Manaf, C. Cioffi (D. Axisa), K. Micallef, K. Tonna, L. Grech (J. Cini)

Referee: Darren Agius

Qrendi 1

Mdina K 3

Mdina Knights obtained an easy victory against Qrendi to move further up the table. The match was a one way traffic affair with Mdina always in search of goals, missing a lot of chances in the process.

After only eight minutes Robert Southward missed a sitter but two minutes later Mdina took the lead thanks to an Andrea Spiteri goal direct from a freekick.

Mdina kept piling up the pressure missing several scoring chances in the process. On 33 minutes Mdina doubled the score when Cachel Vella hammered the ball home after goalkeeper D’Amato could only partially save a Justin Buhagiar shot.

On the resumption an Ayrton Buhagiar shot smashed against the crossbar and on 57 minutes Adrian Gatt made it three. Five minutes from time Qrendi pulled one back when substitute striker Aaron Pendry headed home from close range.

Qrendi: C. D’Amato, A. Buttigieg, S. Galea (O. Camenzuli), M. Psaila (M. Farrugia), B. Demicoli (A. Pendry), R. Darmanin, G. Azzopardi, P. Bezzina, A. Muscat, C. Debattista, D. Caruana.

Mdina K: M. Aquilina, A. Spiteri, D. Caruana, G. Camilleri, A. Catania, A. Gatt, R. Southward (T. Fenech), N. Micallef, J. Buhagiar, A. Buhagiar (J. Farrugia), C. Vella (M. Saliba)

Referee: Keith Buhagiar

Kalkara 0

St Lucia 2

St Lucia won their fourth consecutive match after they won their 2-0 against Kalkara to continue with their positive momentum. For Kalkara this was their sixth consecutive loss.

St Lucia had the chance to go ahead but the shot from Antoine Sapiano was poor with Azzopardi saving with no difficulty. On the 28th minute a shot from Musha was deflected by the St Lucia defence. Christian Zammit had 2 shots on the 32nd and on the 38th minute but both of his shots were off target.

St Lucia opened the score on the 50th minute when Marlon Farrugia with a personal action fired a beautiful shot from outside the box managed to put his side in-front for a spectacular goal. St Lucia almost doubled the score on the 57th minute when Christian Bugeja took a good ball from the Kalkara defence but his shot was turned into a corner by Azzopardi. Kalkara could have grabbed the draw but after a good cross from Daniel Mifsud, Christian Zammit concluded out. St Lucia closed the match on the 79th minute when Basil Chibueze headed home from a good corner.

Kalkara: F. Azzopardi, C. Grima, J. Cassar, C. Zammit, S. Camilleri, F. Grech (C. Caruana), A. Musha, J. Camilleri (C. Barbara), M. Cassar, C. Spiteri (C. Tabone), D. Mifsud

S. Lucia: D. Carabott, J. Bugeja (J. Azzopardi), B. Chibueze, S. D’Amato, M. Farrugia, J. Galea, C. Goodrum, R. Mifsud, A. Sapiano (C. Bugeja), M. Spiteri (B. Chetcuti), S. Farrugia

Referee: Pierre Azzopardi

Marsascala 1

Fgura 2

Fgura won an important match after they managed to beat Marsascala in the dying moments to record their third victory of the season. Marsascala were unfortunate to come out empty handed out of this encounter when they saw their chances of earning a point dashed in the last seconds.

Fgura went in-front on the 12th minute. A shot from Vincent Camilleri was saved by goalkeeper Peplow and from the same action Matthew Spiteri scored with a low shot.

On the 45th minute a free-kick from Slavchev was turned into a corner by Attard. From that corner Marsascala grabbed the equaliser after veteran Nikola Slavchev jumped above everyone else and managed to beat Attard.

Fgura hit the crossbar when a free-kick from Vincent Camilleri found Einarsson but his header was saved by the crossbar.

Marsascala went close on the 67th minute when from a corner by Dobre, Jesmond Scicluna gave the illusion of the goal but his shot went wide.

On the 79th minute Marsascala were reduced to 10 men after Jesmond Scicluna was sent off for a double yellow card. Fgura scored the important goal on the 93rd minute when Leeroy Bonett scored with a good shot that left no chance for Peplow.

Marsascala: J. Peplow, N. Slavchev, J. Debono, E. Desira, J. Scicluna, M. Pace, J. Galdes, D. Falzon (S. Sultana), C. Dobre, P. Carabott, B. Grech (A. Domenicvs).

Fgura: R. Attard, A. Lagana, S. Aquilina, M. Sammut, N. Zerafa, T. Einarsson (L. Vella), V. Camilleri (J. Gheiti) , M. Spiteri, R. Goncalves, L. Bonett, M. Zammit.

Referee: Etienne Bonnici