St Andrew’s  3

Pieta H    1

This turned out to be a very fast and entertaining game which pleased the sizeable crowd present at Luxol Ground. St Andrew’s emerged worthy winners as they managed to turn tables over their opponents after being a goal in arrears in the first period.

The first period was characterised by strict marking and the first four actions were created from fouls.

Kyrian Nwoko was fouled on the left edge of the area and a Pieta defender cleared the ball on the line from the free kick by Sean Gatt Baldacchino.

At the other end, James Scicluna was fouled  outside the area and St Andrew’s keeper Kane Valletta saved the free kick by Gian Franco Micallef in two attempts.

After Jamie Magri Overend was fouled on the right edge of the area, the ball was headed away from the free kick by Gatt Baldacchino. Nwoko was again fouled on the right flank and from Gatt Baldacchino’s free kick, Pieta keeper Chris Attard saved a header by Luke Gialanze.

Pieta then won a corner kick on the right flank which was well-taken by Micallef and Valletta was forced to dive and save to a corner a close-range shot by Nicholas Pulis.

In the 17th minute Pieta opened the score with a choral move between three players. Gary Sultana released Yannick Yankam on the right flank who the crossed the ball in the area and Micallef scored with a low shot.

Pieta resumed with their pressing and mounted two further actions before the half time whistle. Sultana served James Scicluna in the area and Valletta foiled him with a timely sortie.

Later Joshua Tonna was fouled on the left flank the ball was headed away from the free kick by Nicholas Pulis.

The first action after the resumption came from St Andrew’s when Nwoko dribbled past an opponent and served Gatt Baldacchino in the area: Attard was forced to palm the ball away to safety.

Pulis was then fouled outside the area and Valletta saved in two attempts from the free kick by Micallef.  

St Andrew’s restored equilibrium in the 40th minute when Nwoko served Jacob Walker in the area who netted with a low diagonal shot, and minutes later they came close a second goal when Zammit turned the ball to a corner on a shot by Gatt Baldacchino after he was served in the area by Andre’ Debono.

In the 55th minute St Andrew’s scored a second goal when Nwoko served Walker in the area who shot past Zammit.

Four minutes later the score became 3-1 when Nwoko released Gatt Baldacchino on the right flank who the crossed the ball in the area and Walker scored with a header obtaining a personal hat-trick and his side’s third goal. 

Pieta the created the last action before the end as they won a corner kick on the right flank which created havoc in the Saints’ area, but somehow the ball was cleared away to safety. 

Referee: Lorry Sammut

Player of the match: Kyrian Nwoko (St Andrew’s)