St Andrews 2
Birkirkara 0
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Satariano (K. Pulo 82), K. Mcfarlane (K. Magro 68), R. Martin, T.Blagrove, K. Atkinson, K. Reid, J. Farrugia, A. Borg, A. Brown (L. Sciberras 78), M. Davis
Birkirkara: K. Naumovski, D. Chapoval, M. Guillaumier (M. Basrak 59), M. Andelkovic, P. Fenech, J. Grech (G. Zammit 86), K. Zammit, E. Ferreira, M. Mifsud, C. Attard, T. De Souza (U. Calistus 79)
Referee: I. Barbara
Asst refs: E. Spiteri, M. Scerri
4th official: A. Johnson
Scorers: M. Davis 56, 90
Yellow cards: K. Atkinson 5, D. Chapoval 45, M. Davis 66, K. Mcfarlane 68, R. Martin 88
Player of the match: M. Davis.
TMI Top 3: 1. M. Davis, 2. M. Andelkovic, 3. K. Reid.
Attendance: 632.
Two Martin Davis strikes in the second half stunned Birkirkara yesterday as the Stripes suffered a third defeat.
The defeat leaves Birkirkara on nine points in mid-table, while the Saints managed to halt their four-match negative run to collect three precious points from their second victory of the season.
For most of the time, this was another boring encounter, especially in the first half, in which both sides never really created any glaring scoring chances. In the second half play improved with the Saints operating in fast and dangerous breakaways.
The Stripes' pressing for an equaliser was in vain although they twice hit the woodwork before the Saints sealed their win through a second Davis goal in added time.
Birkirkara held the edge in midfield in the first half, but St Andrews never appeared to be an inferior side even if they failed to test goalie Naumovski seriously.
The Stripes also failed miserably with their few conclusions being easily controlled by the St Andrews goalie Matthew Calleja Cremona.
The Saints gave as much as they got in their fewer counter attacks but did not produce one single decent chance of a goal.
In the second half, they showed the better ideas especially after taking the lead. At the end, they merited their win.
Birkirkara dominated the early stages but rarely appeared dangerous even from a freekick on 18 minutes by Jake Grech which was well controlled by goalie Calleja Cremona.
On 27 minutes, De Souza had an effort from the angle easily saved by Calleja Cremona.
St Andrews had their first effort on the Birkirkara goal on 36 minutes, but Farrugia's shot was central and easy prey for goalie Naumovski.
In the 37th minute, Michael Mifsud thought he had shot Birkirkara in the lead when he found the net off a cross by De Souza, but Mifsud was penalised for a handling infringement and the goal was disallowed.
In the 40th minute, Mifsud missed a good opportunity when he hesitated off a Grech good pass and was robbed of the ball before he could shoot at goal.
The Stripes started the second half like a house on fire and in the 49th minute, Birkirkara went close to scoring when Calleja Cremona dived sideways to turn to corner a Jake Grech freekick. From Grech's cornerkick, Chapoval was unlucky to see his header hitting the crossbar.
On 56 minutes, against the run of play, it was the Saints who scored as Martin Davis advanced into the Birkirkara area to beat Naumovski with a low shot.
Five minutes later, Mifsud dribbled three players on his way towards the Saints' goal, but his dangerous cross was cleared away by a defender.
On 73 minutes, in a Saints rare breakaway, Satariano set Davis in the Stripes area, but he hit wide.
With four minutes to go, in another breakaway, Naumovski was again called to save a dangerous shot from Atkinson. And at the other end, substitute Zammit fired wide from the angle after going round goalie Calleja Cremona.
Birkirkara were unlucky not to score the equaliser in added time when off a Calistus cross, Chapoval had his flick hitting the crossbar.
Instead, it was the Saints who scored again at the other end when in a fast counter attack, it was again Martin Davis who solved a melee in front of the Birkirkara goal.