Hotspurs go top after 3-1 win

Qala St Joseph 1
Victoria Hotspurs 3

Victoria Hotspurs obtained an easy victory over Qala to take sole leadership in the standings with full points from three matches.

Qala badly felt the absence of Andreas Fotso and Mark Bonello, due to suspensions. The Hotspurs should have won with a wider margin but Fabiano Bassi and Ricardo Saverino fumbled most of their chances against Qala.

The Hotspurs took 29 minutes to open the score following a fine Saverino lob. Qala lost composure and Victoria took control. They doubled the score seconds from half-time with a goal by Noel Borg who concluded a fine move by Saverino.

Qala were nowhere to be seen after the break but Victoria continued to lose glaring scoring opportunities, including a penalty that Bassi shot wide.

Qala did pull one back in the 82nd minute, through Brian Portelli. The Saints went all out to save the result but left their defensive lines open and the Hotspurs sealed the issue in stoppage time with a Bassi goal.

Qala: I. Aktpan, P. Camilleri, G. Cefai, B. Portelli, I. Grech (C. Caruana), D. Abela, M. Mifsud, C. Portelli (J. Rapa), C. Attard, D. Lautier, J. Xerri.

Victoria: M. Grima, D. Farrugia, J.P. Grima, C. Attard, M. Vella, N. Borg, R. Grech, R. Mercieca (S. Xuereb), J. Portelli (A. Zammit), F. Bassi, R. Saverino.

Referee: Joseph Camilleri.

Xaghra United 2
Ghajnsielem 2

Xaghra and Ghajnsielem returned home with a point each following this draw of four goals.

It was Xaghra's second consecutive draw as the Blacks recovered from a defeat in the previous match.

Ghajnsielem paraded latest signing Haruna Doda but had Jeremy Camilleri and Frank Lee Galea missing.

The Blues opened the score from their first serious approach at goal. John Camilleri placed easily behind Victor Agius with a low shot on 20 minutes following an inviting pass by Joseph Sultana.

Ghajnsielem were shocked and Agius saved his side from falling two goals behind with a difficult save on a Joseph Sultana drive.

However, two minutes later it was 2-0 for Xaghra when Josef Galea headed in from a corner.

The Blacks doubled up their efforts after the break and reduced the arrears in the 59th minute with a Doda tap-in following a pass by Joe Attard. Ghajnsielem maintained the momentum and were rewarded for their efforts ten minutes later.

Doda won a tussle for the ball with a defender and from his pass Larry Buttigieg scored the equaliser from close distance.

Xaghra: D. Gauci, J. Bartolo, L. Blanco de Castro, J. Attard, J. Camilleri, A. Ribic, J. Sultana, C. Buttigieg, S.F. Bajada, M. Buhagiar, J. Galea.

Ghajnsielem: V. Agius, R. Apap, C. Mercieca, J. Buttigieg, B. Meilak, J. Attard, M. Cremona, H. Doda, L. Buttigieg, N. Slavchev, S. Azzopardi (D. Azzopardi).

Referee: George Portelli.

Kercem Ajax 2
Sannat lions 3

Sannat produced their best performance so far this season although they survived some anxious moments late in the match before securing victory. Kercem had Mario Azzopardi and Gothard Conti back but the team sorely felt the absence of Milos Stojanovic who was injured.

Sabri Rais put the Lions ahead after 18 minutes but the Ajax levelled soon after when Azzopardi beat Bajada from close in. Sannat were not demoralised though and before half-time Mark Muscat put his team in the driving seat.

The Lions continued to dictate matters after the interval and opened up a two-goal lead in the 74th minute. Justin Agius dribbled his way through before serving Fernando de Andrade who netted from close in.

Kercem did not crumble, however, and a Darko Stojanovic goal re-opened the issue.

Tension caught up with both teams and in the 88th minute Kercem's Frankie Camilleri and Sannat's John Vella were sent off along with Kercem coach Victor Caruana.

Kercem: L. Camilleri, F. Camilleri, M. Tabone, D. Stojanovic, M. Vella, G. Conti, J. Debrincat, J.P. Mizzi, A. Grech (H. Grech), J. Mercieca (C. Grech), M. Azzopardi.

Sannat: D. Bajada, J. Agius, P. Spiteri (E. Grima), C. de Oliveira, A. Debono, M. Cutajar, J. Vella, M. Formosa, M. Muscat, S. Rais, F. de Andrade.

Referee: Reno Refalo.

Division Two

Gharb Rangers 0
SK Victoria W. 6

SK Victoria Wanderers obtained their first victory in Division Two after beating Gharb Rangers who started the weekend leading the standings on six points.

The Wanderers had Ige Adesina and Simon Gatt back while Ajibade Adesina marked his debut with three goals.

The other goals for SK Victoria came from Ige Adesina and Frank Buttigieg (2).

Referee: Joe Agius.

Zebbug Rovers 4
Xewkija Tigers 2

Zebbug Rovers turned defeat into victory with an excellent performance in their match against Xewkija who had opened the score after only 28 seconds of play through Rodney Buttigieg.

However, the Rovers produced a remarkable reaction and turned the result in their favour before half-time with goals from debutant Basil Chibueze and Manuel Cordina.

The Rovers kept insisting after the break and Chibueze scored two more goals to secure victory for his side. Xewkija made the score more respectable with a Christian Bugeja penalty in stoppage time.

Referee: Paul Apap.

St Lawrence Spurs 4
Munxar Falcons 0

St Lawrence are sole leaders and the only undefeated team in Division Two after beating the luckless Munxar Falcons.

Jesmond Xerri gave the Saints the lead and Oliver Farrugia doubled the score inside the opening 10 minutes. The score became 3-0 in the 44th minute with a goal by Adalberto Goncalves. At that point, Munxar must have lost all hope.

In the 60th minute Munxar's Chris Debrincat committed an own goal to add more woe to his team.

Referee: Chris Francalanza.