Sliema W. 1
St Andrews 1
Sliema: J. Galea, M. Muchardi (O. Eloumi 85), K. Shaw, J. Pearson, J. Mintoff (K. Amehi 62), I. Varela (R. Fenech 72), N. Ashong, M. Sansone, C. Pani, S. Biancardi, Y. Marzouk
St Andrews: M. Calleja Cremona, A. Satariano, R. Martin, T. Blagrove, J. Farrugia, K. Magro, A. Borg, J. Walker (L. Sciberras 86), M. Davis, D. Jackson, M. Woo Ling (A. Friggieri 86)
Referee: P. Farrugia
Asst refs: W. Debattista, M. Scerri
4th official: I. Barbara
Scorers: K. Shaw 4, M. Davis 64 pen
Yellow cards: J. Walker 16, Y. Marzouk 27, R. Martin 30, C. Pani 57, D. Jackson 69
BoV Player of the Match: Y. Marzouk
TMI Top Three: 1. M. Davis 2. Y. Marzouk, 3. M. Muchardi
Attendance: 373
A careless Sliema side missed another two points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a plucky St Andrews side.
Sliema had taken the lead in the first half through a Kurt Shaw strike, but the Saints responded in the second half through Martin Davis who converted a penalty to give the Saints a good point.
On their part, St Andrews move onto the 18-point mark, one ahead of Floriana who will be in action this afternoon against Birkirkara.
The Wanderers were a superior outfit in the first half and richly deserved their slender one-goal lead.
They dominated after taking an early lead and could have built a comfortable cushion had they taken the chances which came their way.
But they lacked punch in front of goal and this enabled the Saints to grow in confidence, launching an assault near the end of the half which almost produced an equaliser.
In the second half, St Andrews appeared to be a more determined side in search of an equaliser and they managed to get back on level terms thanks to a penalty after what seemed an unnecessary tackle by Pearson on Woo Ling.
After that, the Saints continued to grow in confidence and managed to keep the aggressive Sliema at bay, although on one occasion, it was goalie Calleja Cremona who saved the result for the Saints.
Sliema took the lead on the 4th minute when from a cornerkick by Muchardi, a Marzouk shot hit Kurt Shaw and the ball deceived the Saints' goalie Calleja Cremona and finished at the back of the net.
Four minutes later, it was almost 2-0 as from a cross by Claudio Pani, Ignacio Varela saw his flick hitting the upright.
On 15 minutes, a dangerous Martin Davis cross was cleared in extremis by a Sliema defender before Degran Jackson could conclude.
Sliema responded on 19 minutes with a fine move involving Pani, Marzouk and Varela ending with the latter hitting wide from a favourable position.
In the 26th minute, Davis advanced from midfield, but his shot from the edge of the area went wide.
St Andrews went close to equalising on 42 minutes when a shot from veteran Joseph Farrugia went just over the bar.
The Saints continued to press for an equaliser before the interval, but a Jackson effort was blocked to a corner.
St Andrews were awarded a penalty on 64 minutes when Jonathan Pearson floored Matthew Woo Ling. Martin Davis made no mistake from the spotkick to level matters.
In the 76th minute, Davis bustled his way through the Sliema defence, but his dangerous cross (luckily for Sliema) found no takers.
In the 84th minute, Jacob Walker had a half-hearted effort going wide.
Three minutes later, it was goalie Calleja Cremona who saved the day for the Saints when he dived sideways to parry a Ryan Fenech shot which appeared destined for the back of the net.