St Andrew's hold Marsa 1-1

St Andrew's 1
Marsa 1

St Andrew's look all but destined to Division Two football but yesterday they denied Marsa all three points for the second time this season after holding the promotion hunters to a one-all draw at the Tedesco Stadium.

Antonio Pinto's side will fight to live another day in Division One but they will regret their poor show against teams more or less of their same standard. In the previous match, St Andrews held Tarxien to a surprise one-all draw.

Marsa, who also drew their last encounter (2-2 vs San Gwann), were a shadow of the side that had promised so much earlier in the season. They were by far the better side in the first half and should have buried St Andrew's but missed a hatful of chances.

After 12 minutes a Shaun Cutajar header flashed wide while five minutes later the Saints replied with an Adrian Galea drive that also failed to reach the desired target.

Michael Molzahn's Marsa were unlucky in the 33rd minute when a Gilbert Martin drive was partially saved by Jonathan Debono, substitute Timmy Thomas, who had just come in for Jeremy Dalli, hit the bar and from the rebound Brandon Zammit suffered the same fate.

Marsa continued to attack in the second half but chances were now few and far in between. The Saints looked more dangerous though as they adopted a swift counter-attacking style of play.

Not surprisingly, they forged ahead on the hour when substitute Mark Hyzler played a good ball in the box to Roderick Briffa who fired home past Casha.

But Marsa drew level in the 67th minute when Martin beat the offside trap before releasing substitute Steve Meilak who scored from close range.

The Saints protested heavily for offside but to no avail.

St Andrew's: J. Debono, R. Briffa, S. Falzon, I. Borg, J. Sank, N. Micallef, B. Galea, N. Chetcuti (M. Hyzler), B. Diacono (M. Amato), Anthony Galea, Adrian Galea.

Marsa: I. Casha, G. Bencini, N. Slavtchev, G. Martin, B. Zammit (D. Vella), S. Cutajar (S. Meilak), J. Dalli (T. Thomas), K. Scerri, J. Casha, J.P. Zammit, A. Pace.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Naxxar Lions 1
St Patrick 2

St Patrick kept their promotion hopes alive after defeating Naxxar Lions 2-1.

Bobby Giorev's side should have made sure in the first 45 minutes but Naxxar's goal on the stroke of half-time and various missed chances by St Patrick, kept the result in the balance until the final whistle.

It was a pity that this match was played in front of empty terraces. Both teams opted for open football even though the Saints were always the better side throughout.

Just two minutes had gone and Gordon Failla found time and space to move forward and hit a grounder which was saved by Kevin Agius. A minute later Naxxar responded when Victor Bellia found Simon Muscat whose volley was saved by Franklin Azzopardi.

St Patrick took the lead in the 12th minute. Gilbert Scerri did well to pass the ball to Thomas Caruana who scored from just inside the area.

The Saints continued to push more men forward and in the 16th minute Caruana tried his luck again with the ball just missing Agius's goal.

The Lions created their best chance of the first half in the 23rd minute when Cedric Sciberras found Chima Dozie unmarked but with only the goalkeeper to beat he shot wide.

That act of profligacy was immediately punished by the Saints when barely a minute had passed and Mark Tanti blasted in a free-kick from 25 metres out.

Naxxar looked dead and buried as St Patrick continued to dictate matters and looked like scoring a third on the half-hour when a Caruana drive was half-cleared by the Lions defence, the ball finished into the path of Scerri who hit badly with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Luck did not smile on St Patrick when a Caruana header skimmed the upright from five metres out.

Then, unexpectedly, Naxxar came back into the match when Glenn Magri, who had been on the pitch for a few minutes, scored from a cross-shot from the right which deceived goalkeeper Azzopardi.

There was no contest in the second half and the only real threat came on 67 minutes when from a Victor Bellia corner Dozie headed firmly goalwards but the ball was cleared off the line by Clayton Micallef.

An inch-perfect Scerri pass found Caruana unmarked on 74 minutes but the latter lost his balance when about to hit home.

Naxxar: K. Agius, R. Schembri, C. Sciberras, J. Borg, M. Borg, T. Fenech, V. Bellia, C. Tabone (G. Magri), G. Camilleri, S. Muscat, C. Dozie.

St Patrick: F. Azzopardi, R. Cassar, A. Buttigieg, M. Fleri Soler, S. Costa Brazilino, M. Tanti (M. Xerri), G. Failla, T. Caruana (K. Vassallo), C. Micallef, G. Scerri (L. Vella), S. Zerafa.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.