White Hart 0

Hotsticks 1

Umpires: Reno Cremona, Ray Micallef

The first half of the game was charactersed by long periods when the defences were on top and goal mouth action was few and far between.  

White Hart started fast off the blocks and had a shot well saved in the first minute.  

Hotsticks then settled down and forced two penalty corners in the sixth and seventh minute which they did not capitalise from.  Another penalty corner was awarded to White Hart in the 10th minute but the action proved fruitless. 

The rest of the first half was played out in midfield with both sides very careful not to expose themselves in defence.

The second half was a more lively affair with White Hart hooking a shot over the bar in the 37th minute.  

In the 43rd minute Hotsticks went ahead from a penalty corner action with Steve Portelli  finding the corner of the net, his shot just evading White Hart’s goalkeeper’s extended dive.  

At this point the game became a ding dong affair  –  Hotsticks winning three penalty corners between the 50th and 56th minute while White Hart countered by being awarded four penalty corners between the 59th and 65th minute. 

This late surge did not bear fruit and the scoreline remained unchanged.

Young Stars 1

Rabat  4

Umpires: Paul Brincat, Andre Ghio.

Rabat started the game on the attack and won three penalty corners in the first fifteen minutes coming close to scoring on two occasions.  

On their part, Young Stars forced three short corners between the 19th and 22nd minute and had a shot cleared off the line, the ball looping off a stick over the bar.  

In the 28th minute Rabat were awarded a penalty stroke which James Azzopardi converted.  

This goal opened the flood gates and Rabat scored twice more in the 29th and 31st minute through Mario Galea and Jonathan Micallef to take a 3-0 lead.  

In the second half, Young Stars started brightly but were once again exposed at the back and Jonathan Micallef scored his second and Rabat’s fourth goal in the 46th minute with a delightful reverse stick shot.   

In the 49th minute Young Stars were awarded a penalty stroke which Edward Hughes converted in style.  Although they pressed hard and even hit the post in the last minute they were unable to reduce the deficit further.