Lija Athletic 1
Dingli Swallows 0
\nA win on Saturday would have assured Dingli of promotion but they finished at the losing end as they were beaten by Lija.
Dingli wasted various scoring chances and ended the match with nine players as Roderick Spiteri and Etienne Farrugia were both sent off.
They were dominant throughout the first period and after going close early on through Roderick Farrugia and Jason Cachia, Jonathan Sapiano blasted wide in front of an open goal.
Dingli continued to push forward in search of a breakthrough but luck was not on their side as a Roderick Farrugia volley bounced off the bar.
Lija tried to hit back with a Glen Barry effort that failed to reach the desired target.
Sixteen minutes from time, Dingli suffered a setback when Spiteri was sent off for a second booking. Lija made the numerical advantage count and four minutes from time Barry scored the winner.
More woes were in store for the leaders when Farrugia also collected his second yellow card one minute from time.
Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Mangion, A. Ellul (E. Azzopardi), G. Lanzon, D. Scerri, C. Ciantar, G. Barry, N. Gatt, C. Lanzon (D. Cremona), A. Pendry (A. Scerri), B. Antignolo.
Dingli: J. Farrugia, A. Portelli, F. Cauchi, R. Spiteri, C. Ciappara (C. Scicluna), R. Farrugia (J. Camilleri), V. Fiteni, G. Saliba, J. Cachia, E. Farrugia, J. Sapiano.
Referee: Fyodor Zammit.
Melita 1
St Andrew's 1
There were no winners in this derby but this was a precious point for St Andrew's as they strive to avoid the play-offs next month.
They took the lead after only seven minutes when Jonathan Briscoe White beat Melita keeper Sapiano.
On 22 minutes Melita striker Matthew Borg I missed a sitter in front of Tabone and at the other end an attempt by Jonathan Mifsud was saved by the Saints' no.1.
Melita sustained the pressure during the second half with Tabone making two fine saves off efforts by Julian Galea and Borg I.
The Saints were denied by Sapiano off an Ian Borg volley but on 61 minutes Melita obtained a deserved equaliser following a Borg I overhead kick that flew past Tabone.
The Saints surged forward in their bid to regain the lead and got more wind in their sails when Melita ended up with ten players after Borg I was sent off eight minutes from time for an unwarranted gesture to the rival supporters. However, Melita held tight to preserve a point.
Melita: M. Sapiano, J. Mifsud, M. Stivala, D. Gravino, S. Bonnici, M. Martin, M. Borg II (M. Hyzler), J. Galea, M. Mamo (J. Vassallo), K. Micallef (S. Galea), M. Borg I.
St Andrew's: F. Tabone, J. Galea (J. Gatt Coleiro), N. Gatt Coleiro, J. Sank, S. Falzon, A. Galea, P. Briscoe White, J. Briscoe White, K. Camilleri (J. Zammit), I. Borg, E. Hili (Ad. Galea).
Referee: Juergen Spiteri.
Birzebbuga SP 3
Sta Venera Lightnings 0
Aldrin Muscat scored a hat-trick as Birzebbuga made it a double over Sta Venera this season.
After seven minutes, Birzebbuga were awarded a penalty for a foul on James Galea. Muscat beat Rapinett from the spot.
Sta Venera were close on 13 minutes when Stephen Said nodded on to Andrew Hili who hit wide. Five minutes later the Saints failed to clear and Muscat made it 2-0.
Three minutes before the break Sta Venera had a good opportunity to pull one back but Anthony Lagana's effort was saved by Ludvic Fardell.
Sta Venera pressed forward after the break. Lagana missed a sitter on 56 minutes and then hit just wide from the edge of the area.
Two minutes from time Bir-zebbuga sealed the issue with yet another Muscat goal who notched his hat-trick following a fine solo effort.
Birzebbuga: L. Fardell, M. Ciappara, J.P. Barbara (B. Darmanin), D. Baldacchino, L. Burke, C. Formosa, J. Galea (P. Muscat), N. Tabone, A. Muscat, V. Camilleri, R. Farrugia (J. Cassar).
Sta Venera: S. Rapinett, R. Farrugia (I. Falzon), D. Azzopardi (D. Calleja), C. Abela, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, G. Micallef, A. Hili, C. Garzia (A. Lagana), S. Said, M. Grech.
Referee: Paul Apap.
Rabat Ajax 4
Gudja United 1
Rabat condemned Gudja to Third Division football next season but their renewed promotion challenge may have come too late.
Rabat had to wait until late in the first half to break the deadlock when Kayne Said scored from a corner.
Keith Micallef made it 2-0 soon after the break after Xerxen had parried a Said shot. On 75 minutes Micallef added a third for the Magpies and ten minutes later a Smeir shot hit the bar.
On 88 minutes, Said finished off a good move by Smeir to make it 4-0.
Chris Grech scored a consolation goal for Gudja in stoppage time.
Rabat: J. Borg, A. Zahra (A. Wingfield), J. Bezzina, J. Tonna (A. Borg), J. Caruana, G. Vassallo (A. Lanzon), N. Caruana, C. Schembri, K. Said, K. Micallef, A. Smeir.
Gudja: M. Xerxen, M. Galea, R. Micallef, J. Zahra (C. Baldacchino), B. Testaferrata, C. Micallef, E. Gauci, C. Grech, L. Falzon, C. Scicluna (R. Portelli), J. Micallef (T. Vella).
Referee: Sammy Attard.
Gozo FC 0
Balzan Youths 4
Balzan maintained their promotion hopes with a convincing victory over the already-demoted Gozo who found it hard to cope with their opponents' attacking play.
Balzan were looking to settle their nerves and score an early goal at the Gozo Stadium They did not have to wait too long as on 13 minutes Leonid McKay found Malcolm Tirchett and the latter flicked home from the edge of the box.
Gozo keeper Mark Grima did well to stop a McKay header and on 26 minutes he dived to keep out a David Agius free-kick. But on the half-hour the score became 2-0 with another Tirchett goal.
Gozo's best chance arrived in the 57th minute through an Anthony Briffa header that ended just over the crossbar. But Balzan increased their lead soon after when Agius placed behind Grima after receiving from substitute Matthew Sciortino.
The Gozitan keeper denied Tirchett on a couple of other occasions but the Balzan striker notched his hat-trick on 82 minutes when the referee awarded Balzan a penalty for a foul on Aaron Agius. Tirchett converted from the spot.
Gozo: M. Grima, J.P. Grima, A. Briffa, R. Grech, J. Xerri, M. Buttigieg (C. Attard), M. Bongailas, A. Zammit, G. Conti (O. Farrugia), M. Vella, J. Farrugia (A. Grech).
Balzan: B. Bonello, D. Mamo, D. Agius, S. Cappitta, S. Cauchi (C. Azzopardi), A. Agius, A. Sacco (M. Sciortino), C. Borg, M. Tirchett, J. Agius, L. McKay (M. Monreal).
Referee: Andrea Arciola.
Division Three
Attard 0
Luqa St Andrews 0
Luqa dropped two precious points which could eventually jeopardise their chances for the play-offs.
They attacked for most of the first half with Attard keeper Formosa making a series of fine saves to deny his opponents.
After the change of ends, Attard were the ones who showed better qualities but to no avail as no team could manage to break the stalemate.
Attard: O. Formosa, A. Gambin, S. Mizzi, M. Buttigieg, F. Cutajar, L. Buhagiar, J. Axisa, L. Borg (M. Cauchi), M. Saliba, A. Agius, D. Agius.
Luqa: J. Agius, C. Penza, N. Falzon, M. Dimech, E. Cumbo, A. Pirrone (A. Psaila), R. Penza, O. Psaila, M. Caruana, M. Said, N. Zammit.
Referee: Thomas Debono.
Gharghur 2
Sta Lucija 0
This was a deserved win for Gharghur who dominated proceedings for long stretches as Sta Lucija again failed to halt the poor sequence of results this season.
On 18 minutes Clifford Mifsud was unlucky to see his shot hitting the Saints' bar but ten minutes later Gharghur broke the deadlock following a Mifsud powerful drive.
Gharghur's Jeffrey Bonello shot against the upright but three minutes before the break Marvic Grech made it 2-0 after Christian Glass had done all the spadework.
Seconds into the second half the post denied the Saints off a shot by Joe Portelli and on another occasion Michael Grioli hit his shot just wide.
Although Sta Lucija continued to push forward they were well controlled by a disciplined Gharghur defence.
Gharghur: B. Zammit, D. Galea, R. Cassar, A. Yeomans, C. Dingli, L. Vella, C. Mifsud, L. Bartolo (J. Bonello), M. Grech, W. Mallia, C. Glass (M. Sant).
Sta Lucija: D. Cachia, J. Portelli (J. Zammit), C. Cutajar, S. Lanzon, T. Micallef, R. Agius, M. Grioli (O. Magri), A. Sciortino, I. Cutajar, A. Brignone (P. Bugeja), L. Portelli.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Ghaxaq 6
Zejtun Corinthians 4
As the scoreline indicates this was a lively match which saw Ghaxaq striker Bjorn Dalli and Godwin Mifsud, of Zejtun, notching a hat-trick.
Mifsud has now joined Lawrence Vella, of Gharghur, at the top of the scorers' list.
Ghaxaq dominated the opening stages of the match. Dalli put them ahead in the fifth minute and the Ghaxaq forward was on target again on 35 minutes to make it 2-0. Six minutes from the break, Alex Farrugia's shot hit the Zejtun woodwork.
Zejtun played better after the break and Mifsud reduced the arrears from a penalty on 50 minutes. But Ghaxaq soon regained the initiative and goals from Francois Galea (52) and Dalli (57) restored their two-goal lead before Kevin Gambin made it 5-1 from a penalty on 74 minutes.
Justin Camilleri netted Ghaxaq's sixth goal two minutes later.
Zejtun kept pushing forward and made the score look more respectable when Mifsud pulled two goals back, one from a penalty, while Sasha Fenech made it a final 6-4 scoreline in stoppage time.
Ghaxaq: P. Celeste, B. Barbara, C. Xuereb, K. Gambin, D. Galea, M. Muscat (D. Spiteri Sacco), K. Caruana, C. Cristiano (F. Galea), L. Camilleri, B. Dalli (J. Camilleri), A. Farrugia.
Zejtun: M. Mifsud, S. Curmi (S. Fenech), K. Tonna, O. Carabott, E. Caruana, J.P. Abela, B. Grech, S. Debono Grech, G. Mifsud, G. Azzopardi Busuttil, A. Portelli.
Referee: Duncan Sultana.
Siggiewi 0
Mdina Knights 1
This clash between two mid-table teams was won by Mdina Knights.
The first half saw Siggiewi creating the better openings with Eman Ciappara and Mario Borg leading their team's charge. However, it was Mdina who opened the score in the 11th minute through Ayrton Buhagiar.
Pierre Spiteri beat the Mdina keeper midway through the half but the Siggiewi striker was in an offside position and the 'goal' was disallowed.
After the break Siggiewi had a Spiteri shot that was saved by Sciberras with Mdina going close after two quick breaks led by Matthew Francalanza and Buhagiar.
Siggiewi: R. Vella, J. Farrugia, E. Zammit, C. Bezzina, J. Micallef, G. Camilleri (K. Buhagiar), P. Spiteri, E. Ciappara (A. Farrugia), J. Mascena, M. Borg (J. Vassallo), J. Camilleri.
Mdina: R. Sciberras, N. Pullicino, G. Camilleri (L. Mercieca), M. Camilleri, J. Debono, A. Cauchi, T. Nader, A. Vassallo, C. Caruana, A. Buhagiar, M. Francalanza (M. Paris).
Referee: William Debattista.
Pembroke Athleta 1
Kalkara 0
A second-half penalty was enough for Pembroke to have the better of Kalkara in a match which saw both goalkeepers distinguishing themselves with some excellent saves.
Kalkara did all the running in the first half and their best chances fell to Christian Mizzi, Chris Borg and Neville Zerafa who were denied by Pembroke keeper Debattista.
Pembroke came more into the picture after the break and scored the goal that mattered on 52 minutes through a Carlo Leonardi penalty.
The goal galvanised Pembroke who pushed more men forward but were frustrated by the fine goalkeeping of Kalkara's Elvin Attard.
Pembroke: R. Debattista, D. Bugeja, N. Aquilina, L. Desira (S. Micallef), S. Buhagiar (J. Debattista), J. Fenech, R. Cann (M. Sammut), J. Taliana, K. Vella, C. Leonardi, C. Mahoney.
Kalkara: E. Attard, D. Pace (K. Stafrace), C. Mizzi (C. Seychell), S. Vella (K. Tonna), K. Schembri, A. Bonnici, K. Vassallo, N. Gatt, A. Cassar, N. Zerafa, C. Borg.
Referee: Chris Francalanza.
Gzira United 0
Mgarr United 1
New leaders Mgarr United moved a step closer to promotion with a crucial victory over Gzira United on Monday.
Gzira goalkeeper Ablett did well to keep out efforts from Johan Said and Jonathan Ebejer while Gzira's Keith Bonello headed just wide.
After the interval, Mgarr kept up the pressure but had to wait until the 75th minute for Chris Abela to beat Ablett for a deserved winner.
Gzira: O. Ablett, M. Brincat, K. Bonello, G. Mizzi, A. Marmara, H. Gatt Bonello, W. Mallia, D. Agius (N. Corito), R. Azzopardi (J. Mifsud), C. Pace (J. Vidal), C. Grech.
Mgarr: S. Gauci, W. Camilleri, N. Busuttil, D. Schembri, M. Bugeja, J. Ebejer, A. Chetcuti (S. Aquilina), J. Said (D. Muscat), L. Muscat, C. Scerri (C. Abela), M. Gauci.
Referee: Aaron Fenech.