Nap-hand victories for Kercem, Sannat

SK Victoria W. 0
Kercem Ajax 5

Kercem Ajax joined Nadur Youngsters at the top of the table after a comfortable 5-0 victory over bottom-placed SK Victoria Wanderers.

Victoria had Marlon Mercieca and Mark Buttigieg missing due to suspension.

Kercem made a good start, opening the scoring in the second minute following an angled Sabri Rais drive. In the 14th minute, an attempt by Alfred Effiong hit the bar but Kercem doubled the score ten minutes later with a Gotthard Conti header.

Victoria tried to make a fight of it but the closest they came to scoring was with a shot by Adesina that was saved by Aktpan.

The score became 3-0 in the 45th minute when a cross by Conti was deflected against the bar by Agius and Effiong hit the rebound home.

Victoria looked better after the break but Kercem's victory was never in doubt. An Elton Vella lob was stopped by the woodwork and then Effiong added two more goals to make it 5-0 for Kercem.

SK Victoria: M. Agius, V. Obidimalor, P. Cardona, J. Refalo (D. Muscat), S. Farrugia, K. Azzopardi, P. Camilleri, D. Muscat, C. Sciortino (M. Francalanza), I. Adesina, M .Tabone.

Kercem: I. Aktpan (C. Mercieca), F. Camilleri, M. Azzopardi (R. Buttigieg), B. Portelli, J. Portelli, M. Cutajar, G. Conti (J.P. Mizzi), E. Vella, C. Hili, S. Rais, A. Effiong.

Referee: Reno Refalo.

Xaghra United 0
Sannat Lions 5

This was a fine victory for Sannat Lions, their second in the league over Xaghra United.

Sannat went ahead in the eighth minute with a Noel Borg goal. Their early pressure produced a second goal in first-half stoppage time, courtesy of Ricardo Saverino.

Xaghra were down and out when Sannat made it 3-0 in the 57th minute following a direct free-kick by Mahjoub Touali. They were again on the mark 15 minutes from time with another goal by Saverino. He scored in his second attempt after Agius had parried his first shot.

Xaghra went close to grab a consolation goal from a Reuben Galea free-kick and a shot from the edge of the area by Silvan Galea.

However, Sannat made the score 5-0 with another Saverino goal after a fine move by Touali.

Xaghra ended the match with ten players when Frank Debono was red-carded for a second caution.

Xaghra: V. Agius, A. Debono (D. Gauci), J. Bartolo, R. Galea, S.F. Bajada, M. Buhagiar, J. Portelli, D. Mbueko, J. Sultana, S. Galea, F. Debono.

Sannat: P. Galea, S. Azzopardi (R. Farrugia), J. Vella, C. de Oliveira, P. Said, A. Camilleri (P. Vella), N. Borg, S. Portelli, M. Touali, R. Mercieca (A. Mutalib), R. Saverino.

Referee: George Portelli.

Division Two

The tussle for the runner-up position became more interesting after Victoria Hotspurs and St Lawrence Spurs chalked up positive results in their last outings.

The match between champions Qala St Joseph and Victoria Hotspurs produced four goals, all scored during the first period.

Victoria opened the score through Vojko Martinovic but Mario Mifsud equalised in the 28th minute. The Hotspurs regained the lead through Martinovic but Glenn Cefai made it 2-2.

St Lawrence joined the Hotspurs on the 24-point mark after a 4-1 victory over lowly Gharb Rangers. The Spurs have a game in hand.