Floriana 4

Melita 0

Floriana strengthened their top placing after beating Melita in an action-packed game which pleased the sizeable crowd present at the StLucia Ground. They are now on 36 points from 15 games while Melita are in sixth position on 23 points also from 15 games.

The game was only two minutes old when Floriana opened the score. Mauro Sultana dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and crossed the ball in the area. After it was partly cleared Dillon Darmanin scored with a hard rising shot from the rebound past a helpless Melita keeper Josef Spiteri. 

In another action by Floriana Conor Borg served Darmanin with a through ball in the area but the ball missed the upright from his shot, while at the other end, Michele Sansone served Kane Palmier in the area and Greens keeper Tyrone Gauci foiled him with a timely sortie.

Melita then forced two actions. Palmier served Michael Zammit with a through ball but Dayle Borg foiled him from further progression with a timely interception. Later Chris Bajada, after beating an opponent, served Palmier in the area but his effort finished wide.

Floriana soon regained the initiative and created all the actions up to the half time whistle.

Larson Azzopardi served Juan Carlos Corbolan with a cross from the left and his effort from outside the area finished over the bar.

Sultana then dribbled past an opponent on the left flank and the ball missed the far post by inches from his cross-shot with Spiteri beaten.

The same player then served Darmanin with a cross from the right and he drove over the bar from inside the area while Jake Davies released Darmanin on the right flank and the ball was cleared to a corner from his cross.

The first two actions after the resumption were created by Floriana.

Sean Cipriott released Martin Caruana on the right flank and Spiteri saved his cross-shot.

Moments later, after the ball was partly cleared from a flag kick by Corbolan, the same player tried his luck from the rebound and Spiteri denied him with a fine diving save.

In Melita’s only action, Sansone was fouled outside the area and Gauci saved the free kick by Roberto Spiteri

Spiteri came to his side’s rescue once again when he foiled Sultana with a timely sortie in two attempts after he was put through in the area by Corbolan.

Floriana scored two more goals in as many minutes between the 46th and 48th minutes. From a well-taken flag kick by Sultana, Conor Borg rose above friend and foe and scored with a strong header.

Then Corbolan served the same player in the area who scored with a hard grounder.

After Sultana was fouled outside the area the ball missed the upright by inches from the free kick by Conor Borg. 

The score became 4-0 in the 53rd minute. Darmanin served Corbolan with a cross in the area and after he was tripped, Conor Borg made no mistake from the resultant penalty netting with a hard low drive, sending Spiteri the wrong way.

Floriana kept trying for more goals and created the last two actions before the end. Larson Azzopardi served Corbolan with a through ball who returned the compliment to Sultana in the area and after Spiteri partly saved his shot, the same player drove out from the rebound.

The same player drove out from inside the area minutes later after being put through by Corbolan.

Referee: James Farrugia 

Player of the match: Juan Carlos Corbolan (Floriana)