\Pieta H 4

Floriana  0

Pieta H had a very easy task in beating a new Floriana team consisting of former Under 13 youngsters – a totally different team from last season that finished runners Up.

Pieta fielded a group of talented youngsters who not only outclassed their opponents in skill but also in stature.

The Hotspurs were so superior that up to the 29th minute they won 21 corner kicks and Floriana only managed two shots that came from free kicks.

The early and continuous pressure were mounted by Pieta. A well-taken flag kick by Maverick Gatt created havoc in Floriana's area but the ball was cleared away, another flag kick by the same player was cleared to another corner and from the ensuing kick, Jean Borg headed over the bar.

Luke Bonello then had a good run down the left flank and Greens keeper Darren Sammut neutralised the ball after his low cross.

In the 21st minute Pieta opened the score when Borg was put through in the area: he was tripped by a defender and made no mistake from the resultant penalty with a hard rising shot.

The pressure from Pieta was incessant. After a run down the left flank by James Scicluna, the ball was cleared to a corner from his cross which was taken by Gatt and Borg again headed slightly out.

Borg then served Scicluna with a through ball and the ball missed the upright as he tried his luck from outside the area.

Pieta doubled their lead in the 27th minute when Mick Ghigo was put through in the area and, with Sammut well out of his charge, he had the easiest of tasks to lob the ball into an empty net.

In Floriana's only action on the half hour, Matthew Formosa was fouled outside the area and Pieta keeper Jacob Chircop St John saved the free kick by Glenn Sultana.

Three minutes before the interval Pieta added a third goal as Ghigo dribbled past a defender and after entering the area he scored with a low shot.

Pieta resumed with their pressing after the resumption. Scicluna served Matthias Lunetti with a through ball in the area and Sammut saved his close-range shot. Lunetti then served Dylan Cassar in the area and after Sammut partly saved his shot the ball was cleared away.

In Floriana's only action in the 53rd minute Jamie Scerri was fouled just outside the area and the Pieta keeper saved Sultana's free kick in two attempts.

Pieta scored their fourth and final goal in the 54th minute after a prolonged action. Borg dribbled past a defender on the left flank and the ball was cleared to a corner after he served Scicluna with a low cross. The flag kick was taken by Borg and Ghigo scored with a low shot from inside the area.

The Hotspurs kept trying for more goals. Substitute Stefmar Hatherly was fouled outside the area, Scicluna served Cassar with a short free kick on the right flank who then crossed the ball in the area and substitute keeper Craig Abdilla neutralised the ball with a diving save.

Just before the final whistle Pieta were reduced to 10 men when Ryan Cesare was shown the red card after a second booking.

Referee: Shawn Calleja

Player of the match: James Scicluna (Pieta H)

Sliema W 1

Mosta  2

Mosta came from behind and won the three points at stake. After a balanced first period Mosta were the better outfit after the resumption as they mounted more actions than Sliema. The early pressure came from Sliema as they created three chancesin a row. The Wanderers forged ahead in the 11th minute after a defensive error when Mosta keeper David Massaid passed the ball to Daryl Micallef and as Friggieri pounced on the faulty pass and got possesion of the ball he entered the area and scored with a low shot.

Their joy was however short-lived as hardly a minute later Mosta equalised when Neil Frendo was put through in the area in a dubious off-side position and after he was tripped from behind Zach Chircop made no mistake from the penalty spot beating Sliema keeper Matthew Attard with a hard low drive.

Mosta were denied a penalty in the 18th minute when Ryan Camilleri dribbled past an opponent and after entering the area he was tripped but the referee waved play on.

In the last action before the break Mosta keperMassaid handled a backpass and the referee awarded an indirect free kick in the area which was taken by Friggieri.The ball was cleared by the strong defensive barrier following his hard drive.

Mosta mounted the first action after the break when Micallef served Chircop with a through ball on the left flank and from the latter's cross-shot the ball caressed the goal mouth with Attard beaten. At at the other end, Friggieri dribbled past two defenders and after entering the area a defender cleared the ball to a corner following his shot.

In the 56th minute Mosta scored what proved to be the winner when after a run down the left flank by Chircop he served Formosa in the area who scored a beauty with a rising shot in the top right hand corner of the net.

Referee: Dorian Caruana

Player of the match: Zack Chircop (Mosta)