Tarxien gain second win

Marsa 2
Tarxien 3

Tarxien Rainbows recorded their second consecutive win yesterday after edging Marsa 3-2.

Tarxien, with the winds behind their backs, were the better team in the first half and could have scored more than the two goals they had to show at the change of ends.

The Rainbows went close to scoring after only four minutes when Essien Mbong's through-ball found Angus Buhagiar who mishit his shot. The ball rolled into the path of Simon Shead who blasted high.

Tarxien forged ahead in the 10th minute when Shead headed home a Ryan Grech corner.

Noel Coleiro's team continued to dominate and on 26 minutes, Andrew Decesare tried his luck from the distance but Spiteri did well to block.

However, the Marsa custodian could do nothing on 33 minutes when Decesare fired the ball home from close in following a Grech free-kick.

After the interval, Marsa came out in search of an early goal and they managed to bridge the gap on 51 minutes when Warren Chircop headed home from a Kevin Scerri cross.

But, barely four minutes later, Tarxien restored their two-goal cushion when Decesare netted again from a Graham Bencini free-kick.

Marsa reduced the deficit again on 65 minutes when Chircop won possession in the area and slotted the ball past Anthony Curmi.

At this stage, Marsa tried to increase the pressure on Tarxien in an attempt to score an equaliser but the Rainbows did well to administer their one-goal lead until the end.

Marsa: R. Spiteri, J. Rizzo (T. Bonnici), S. Cutajar, D. Vella, I. Borg, D. Gatt, K. Cassar, J. Achukwu, K. Scerri, W. Chircop (E. Dalli), J. Dalli (C. Gusman).

Tarxien: A. Curmi, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana, G. Bencini, S. Muscat (M. Buttigieg), E. Mbong, S. Shead (R. Schembri), A. Buhagiar, A. Decesare, R. Grech, L. Vella Critien (O. Grech).

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Man of the match: Andrew Decesare (Tarxien).