Mellieha 4

Attard 1

With a great performance especially in the first half, Mellieha beat without no difficulty Attard 4-1. After their advantage, Mellieha took control of the match with Tiago Loquete being the protagonist with a lot of runs in the Mellieha attack.

Attard levelled the match in the early minutes but it was Mellieha who took the lead on the 17th minute when William Borg beat Ubberden with a powerful shot. Mellieha doubled their lead five minutes later when Giovann Galea headed past Ubberden after a good corner.

Mellieha were given a penalty after Daniel Agius played the ball with his hand. Philip Taylor sent Ubberden the other side to score the third goal.

Mellieha had the chance to add to the score when Loquete shot over the bar after a personal action. Attard were given a penalty after Kurt Zahra was brought down by Perkins but captain Clive Lanzon failed to reduce the gap after a good save by Gauci.

Mellieha were again close to the fourth goal when a cross-shot from Perkins hit the cross-bar. Attard scored their goal on the 61st minute when Chris Farrugia beat Gauci with a wonderful goalfrom outside the box.

Eight minutes later Mellieha missed a good chance when Loquete passed to Glen Magri but shot wide from a practically empty net. Wayne Borg St John added another goal to Mellieha in the stoppage time.

Mellieha: S. Gauci, R. Perkins, L. Cauchi (W. Buttigieg), P. Taylor, M. Vella, W.Borg, T. Loquete, W. Borg St John, G. Galea, D. Cauchi (K. Gauci), M. Calleja (G. Magri)

Attard: R. Ubberden, O. Tabone, D. Gauci, D. Agius, C. Lanzon, A. Agius, A. Lanzon (N. Spiteri), D. Traykov, K. Zahra (E. Azzopardi), C. Farrugia, S. Mohammed (R. Pilipov)

Referee: Stefan Pace

Gudja United 3

Zebbug Rangers 1

Gudja took three important points after beating Zebbug Rangers 3-1 in a promotion match. The result is an evidence for Gudja’s efforts throughout the 90 minutes and richly deserved the win. For Zebbug this was the first defeat in eight matches.

Gudja started the match on the attack and it was Reuben Debono who denied Guazzo’s lob in the first minute. From the same action Gudja scored the first goal when Keith Bonello headed in from a corner by Guazzo.

Zebbug made a reaction and Roderick Spiteri went close with a low shot from outside the box. Gudja had the chance to double their lead on the 19th minute when Timothy Thomas shot over the bar after a good run.

Zebbug went close on the 51st minute when Xerxen saved a good header from Julian Spiteri. Gudja doubled the score on the 53rd minute when Debono arrived late for the ball and this gave chance to Keith Bonello to score his second goal in a practically empty net.

Gudja added another goal on the 72nd minute when Peter Paul Sammut beat Debono with a powerful shot.

Eight minutes from time a free-kick from Anyanwu finished over the bar. Zebbug scored their consolation goal on the 92nd minute when Uchenna Anyanwu beat Xerxen with a good shot.

Gudja: M. Xerxen, E. Bugeja, E. Vella, J. Tonna, M. Milutinovic, A. Gjepali, K. Bonello, E. Gauci (G. Cutajar), A. Guazzo (D. Agius), P.P. Sammut, T.J. Thomas (T. Thomas)

Zebbug: R. Debono, G. Mallia (M. Tirchett), M. Farrugia, J. Mercieca, R. Spiteri, J. Alegbe, C. Sammut (D. D’Agostino), U. Anyanwu, S. Pereira Da Mata, J. Agius (A. Agius), J. Spiteri

Referee: Karl Frendo Cumbo

Gzira 3

Senglea 0

As expected, leaders Gzira had an easy win over bottom-side Senglea 3-0, with a brace by Simon Shead, thus holding firm to their place at the summit of the table with 36 points.

When after 14 outings, the side from Cottonera has won only two and lost 12 matches, their relegation to the third division seems inevitable.

Gzira opened the scoring four minutes before the break, when after going past two defenders, Simon Shead hit home from an acute angle from outside the area.

Three minutes later, Jimmy Hussey doubled Gzira’s lead, when after receiving from Deguara, he chipped the ball past the custodian and at the back of the net.

On 70 minutes Gzira missed a sitter when after a good run by Correla de Silva, he crossed central to Shead, but the ball was intercepted into a corner by defender Tanti.

Ten minutes from stoppage time, Simon Shead sealed the three points, when from another cross by Correla de Silva, he beat Senglea’s defence with a looping header.

Gzira: S. Agius, T. Micallef, M. Cocks, S. Shead, L. F. B. Correla de Silva, R. G. Congalves Alinho, J. Hussey, A. Galea, A. White, Y. Tonna (J. Azzopardi), R. Deguara (S. Bonello)

Senglea: B. Bartolo, C. Borg, J. Abela, M. Ciappara (J. P. Abdilla), R. Tanti, A. Sciortino (P. Zarb), C. Caruana, P. Camilleri, D. Grech, K. Galea, J. R. Emeka

Referee: Sandro Spiteri

Kirkop 3

Luqa 1

After losing their last six outings, Kirkop registered a very important win over their neighbouring rivals Luqa with the final score 3-1, thus lifting themselves to a better position on the grid.

Luqa’s disappointing season, who incidentally won the teams previous encounter in the first round with the same score, keeps going for the worse, where they still find themselves in the penultimate position with 11 points.

Luqa opened the scoring 12 minutes into the match through Jason Good.

Kirkop equalised eight minutes later through Rumen Kerekov, who converted a penalty kick.

Kirkop then took the lead 10 minute before the end of the first half through Ivan Stankovic who scored with an angled shot.

Rumen Kerekov scored his second and his side’s third near the end of the match after receiving a pass from Cumbo.

Kirkop: C. Francica, B. Bugeja (J. Gerada), L. Cumbo, A. Busuttil, P. P. Cassar (M. Aquilina), M. Pisani, I. Stankovic, N. Tabone (M. Theuma), R. Kerekov, C. Farrugia, B. Farrugia

Luqa: K. Ellul, C. Caruana (T. Cauchi), J. Good, J. Fenech, L. Vella, L. Baldacchino (E. Catania), M. Camilleri, G. Failla, A. Abdilla, M. Ciantar, G. Frendo

Referee: Paul Caruana

San Gwann 1

Msida 1

Msida and San Gwann gained a point each from their encounter, with their first encounter earlier on in the season having been won by San Gwann 2-0.

San Gwann thus kept the pace with the top five contenders with 21 points, while Msida keep battling in the lower end of the standings with 16 points.

Msida opened the scoring 21 minutes into the match, when from Mallia’s goalkick, Cosaitis failed to properly mark substitute Jorge Paiva, who after having a good ball control, tapped the ball at the back of the net with a low shot.

San Gwann equalised ten minutes into the second half, when after  poor showing by Msida’s goalkeeper Carbonaro, Christopher Pace put the ball past the custodian and at the back of the net.

San Gwann: C. Carbonaro, P. Xuereb, D. Cosaitis, M. Francica, M. Mercieca, A. Borg, C. Cuschieri, R. Zammit, C. Pace (R. Sell), C. Cacciattolo, R. Attard (S. Vella)

Msida: J. Mallia, M. Borda, M. Caruana, M. Clarke, O. Zammit, L. Cassar, M. Pisani, P. Sakchai, R. Xuereb (G. Refalo), M. Curtis (J. Paiva), F. D. De Andrade

Referee: Luke Portelli

St Venera 0

Gharghur 6

Gharghur registerd a very easy win over St Venera, with four of the goals being scored by Trayo Grozev, thus keeping the pace with the top five in the standings.

This was a very disappointing loss for St Venera, who after having won their last two outings, will consider this loss to be a big blow.

Gharghur opened the scoring 17 minutes into the match, when after recieving from Perry Acton, Trayo Grozev beat the goalkeeper with a low shot; and in the 35th minute, after some confusion in St Venera’s area, the same Grovez found the net for the second time.

Three minutes before the break, Grozev obtained his hat-trick, when from a cross by Antignolo, he tapped the ball at the back of the net.

On 57 minutes, from a freekick by Iliev, Mark Gauci hit home with a looping header, and 20 minutes later, St Venera’s Andrew Hili was unlucky enough to put the ball in his own net when trying to clear danger away.

The ’ last goal came five minutes from stoppage time, when Grozev dispossessed the opposing defence and hit home for the fourth time.

St Venera: W. Cuschieri, S. Farrugia, M. Muscat, J. Onohua, E. Muscat (J. Zammit), G. Micallef, M. Grech (G. Ancilleri), K. Cilia (D. Wingfield), A. Hili, R. Borg, D. Mercieca

Gharghur: D. Zarb, R. Debattista, J. Debattista, C. Farrugia (I. Curmi), L. Stivala, M. Gauci (D. Brincat), T. Grozev, S. Iliev, C. Azzopardi, B. Perry Acton, B. Antignolo (D. Kokavessis)

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi

Zurrieq 2

Siggiewi 3

Siggiewi had the last laugh against Zurrieq emerging winners with the odd goal in five in a dramatic encounter with all goals arriving in the second period.

Both sides had their chances in the first half, but both defences withstood the pressure. Shortly after the resumption Siggiewi took the lead when Jason Camilleri headed home a Josef Vassallo freekick.

Eleven minutes later Zurrieq were back on level terms when Steve Azzopardi converted from the penalty spot after the same Azzopardi was fouled by Stephen Delia. But Siggiewi were back in front on 72 minutes when Rodrick Farrugia scored a spectacular goal with an overhead kick.

Three minutes later Siggiewi were on velvet when Eman Ciappara finished off a Josef Vassallo move. Five minutes from time Zurrieq pulled one back when Steve Azzopardi obtained his brace after a fine solo run.

Zurrieq:  J. Alden, A. Portelli, J. Lia, D. Stojanovic, K. Sacco, D. Bonnici (V. Micallef), M. Genuis, Z. Vukovic, S. Azzopardi, C. Caruana (C. Shumba), C. Schembri (N. Abdilla)

Siggiewi: J. Vella, S. Delia, N. Galea, E. Cutajar (E. Bugeja), M. Bajada, E. Vella, K. Buhagiar (E. Ciappara), B. Galea (J. Vassallo), R. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, M. Camilleri

Referee: Jude Utulu