Rabat sole leaders after 1-0 win

St Andrew's 0
Rabat Ajax 1

Rabat Ajax obtained a deserved win over lowly St Andrew's with Adam Smeir scoring the all-important goal and being unlucky as he hit the Saints woodwork on three occasions. Rabat are now sole leaders for the first time this season but they played a match more than Balzan.

The Magpies dictated the run of play during the first half and in the opening minutes they were twice close through Kayne Said.

In the 19th minute, Smeir's header was turned onto the post by goalkeeper Frederick Tabone and on 27 minutes a Said 'goal' was disallowed for offside.

The Saints had a Michael Valenzia free-kick going wide. But, on 34 minutes, Rabat took the lead when Smeir's angled shot finished behind Tabone in the Saints' net.

Three minutes into the second half, the Saints wasted an easy opportunity through Jonathan Briscoe White with Rabat hitting the upright in the 56th minute following a Smeir drive.

Rabat's Darren Galea should have done better in front of goal and in the 67th minute Smeir had good reason to curse his luck as his scorcher bounced off the bar.

In the 71st minute, Rabat were reduced to ten players when Galea was sent off for retaliation. The Saints made a strong reaction but found Azzopardi in their way as he held off shots by Jeremy Gatt Coleiro and Adrian Galea.

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, N. Chetcuti, B. Diacono (B. Chetcuti), J. Briscoe White, S. Falzon, A. Galea (A. Camilleri Kamsky), M. Calleja, A. Busuttil, Ad. Galea, M. Valenzia, M. Ellul ((J. Gatt Coleiro).

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, J. Bezzina, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, C. Micallef (P. Ciantar), A. Zahra, K. Said (D. Galea), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, M. Micallef, C. Schembri (G. Vassallo).

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Melita 5
Sirens 0

Melita notched their fifth successive win to boost their prospects at the top of the standings in what appears to be an interesting tussle between four teams for the two promotion slots.

Sirens were no match for Melita who took the lead after nine minutes when Steve Bonnici headed in from a Gregory Degabriele corner.

A minute later, Melita doubled their lead through Bjorn Bondin after the Sirens' keeper had parried a shot by Mark Hyzler.

Four minutes after the restart Melita added a third goal through Hyzler and in the 78th minute Luke Micallef's volley rattled the Sirens post.

The Amateurs continued to dominate the proceeding and Micallef had better luck 10 minutes from time when he scored his side's fourth goal. Three minutes later it was 5-0, again thanks to a Micallef goal.

In the 90th minute an incident led to two players being shown the red card - George Gribbon (Melita) and Gareth Galea (Sirens).

Melita: M. Sapiano, J. Mifsud (L. Micallef), D. Azzopardi (M. Mamo), G. Gribbon, S. Bonnici, D. Gravino, M. Hyzler, B. Bondin, J. Galea, G. Degabriele (J. Vassallo), K. Micallef.

Sirens: R. Schembri, R. Bonett, C. Ghio, N. Mercieca (G. Galea), K. Galea, A. Xuereb, Z. Galea, J. Mercieca (G. Gatt), Giov. Galea, A. Galea, R. Theuma (K. Zammit).

Referee: Karl Frendo Cumbo.

Naxxar Lions 1
Birzebbuga SP 0

Naxxar Lions moved clear of the relegation zone as they obtained a precious win over the misfiring Birzebbuga who conceded a sixth successive defeat.

Naxxar broke the deadlock after just five minutes through Matthew Spiteri Gonzi. He headed in from a Kevin Fenech flag-kick.

The Lions insisted in attack and were again close in the 16th minute through Adrian Fenech with the seasiders replying eight minutes later as Donald Gatt hit just wide from the edge of the penalty area.

Naxxar suffered a setback in the 25th minute when striker Kevin Naudi was sent off following comments made to the referee.

Birzebbuga pushed more men forward and went close to scoring an equaliser with the Naxxar keeper bringing off a fine save to deny Johan Zammit.

After the change of ends, Birzebbuga piled up the pressure on the Lions with Ronnie Celeste wasting an easy opportunity early on.

Then, efforts by Leslie Burke and Jason Cassar were all stopped by Agius. A minute from time 'last man' Michael Ciappara, of Birzebbuga, was red-carded for a foul just outside his box.

Naxxar: K. Agius, R. Farrugia, T. Fenech, M. Spiteri Gonzi, J.P. Zahra. A. Fenech, K. Fenech, K. Naudi, B. Farrugia, M. Deguara (C. Farrugia), E. Cutajar.

Birzebbuga: M. Xerxen, M. Ciappara, E. Saliba, C. Formosa, B. Darmanin (J. Cassar), R. Celeste, S. Aquilina, Joh. Zammit, D. Gatt (N. Tabone), E. Azzopardi, L. Burke (J.P. Busuttil).

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Zurrieq 0
Sta Venera 0

This was a monotonous match with relegation-haunted Zurrieq doing most of the attacking but were very poor in their finishing as the Sta Venera defence held on for a draw.

Zurrieq showed better qualities in the first period and forced Sta Venera keeper Elvin Attard to make difficult saves following attempts by Dino Bonnici and Matthew Genuis.

In the 14th minute, Sta Venera were denied by Julian Azzopardi off a dangerous cross by Dylan Mercieca and at the other end Zurrieq were very close through Godfrey Chetcuti. His header was cleared off the line.

In the 25th minute an overhead kick by Sta Venera striker Dylan Mercieca just missed the target with Zurrieq responding with shots by Bonnici and Chetcuti.

The second period was a drab 45-minute affair with the Reds continuing to push forward but lacking the punch up front.

Zurrieq: J. Azzopardi, J. Lia, K. Sacco, J. Camilleri (A. Barbara), C. Gatt, J. Saliba, M. Abdilla, C. Shomba, G. Chetcuti (C. Farrugia), M. Genuis, D. Bonnici (L. Zammit).

Sta Venera: E. Attard, M. Muscat, J. Scicluna, D. Piccinino, Y.M. Law, G. Ancilleri (I. Falzon), G. Micallef, D. Demanuele (A. Spiteri), D. Mercieca, S. Farrugia, M. Grech (A. Micallef).

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.

Division Three - Section 'A'

Xghajra Tornadoes 0
Qrendi 0

This was a just result in a balanced match that saw both sets of defenders dominating proceedings. Xghajra dropped useful points in their bid to stay close to the teams challenging for promotion.

The first shot at goal came from Xghajra in the 20th minute following a shot from the distance by Jonathan Cachia who was served by Roderick Mascena.

On the half-hour, Qrendi almost took the lead but Michael Camilleri's shot whizzed past the post with Xghajra coming back through Neil Attard whose grounder was blocked by the Qrendi defence.

Qrendi were denied by Camilleri off a shot by Saviour Sacco in the 67th minute and Xghajra hit back with an attempt by Alex Azzopardi that was off target.

Xghajra: R. Camilleri, M. Portelli, D. Axisa, B. Magro, A. Azzopardi, L. Grech, M. Magro (C. Gerada), J. Azzopardi, J. Cachia (A. Agius), C. Cioffi (J. Abela), N. Attard.

Qrendi: R. Mascena, M. Briffa, A. Mangion (A. Grech), A. Abdilla, J. Farrugia, R. Galea, M. Camilleri, S. Sacco, J. Azzopardi, J. Mansueto, J. Mercieca (A. Muscat).

Referee: Franco Cachia.

Ghaxaq 0
Attard 3

Attard maintained their promotion aspirations following a clear 3-0 victory over Ghaxaq on Monday. They are joint second in the standings with 21 points along with Mdina Knights.

Mark Tabone's shot for Attard hit the post. However, after a series of attacks on the Ghaxaq goal, Attard scored in the 31st minute from a penalty awarded for a foul on Fabian Cutajar and converted by Tabone.

Kurt Zahra made it 2-0 with a powerful drive on 51 minutes and Firas Aboulezz made sure of the points with a third goal 18 minutes from time.

Ghaxaq: P. Celeste (M.Cassar), M. Axiaq, C. Xuereb, D. Lapira, D. Galea, L. Camilleri, E. Dimech, A. Caruana (T. Agius), S. Spiteri (B. Barbara) F. Galea, K. Gambin.

Attard: C. Cini, M. Cutajar (D. Haber), D. Agius (A. Lanzon), M. Tabone (F. Aboulezz), A. Agius, J. Axisa, K. Zahra, M. Saliba, F. Farrugia, C. Micallef, F. Cutajar.

Referee: Jude Utulu.

Section 'B'

Kalkara 2
Gozo FC 2

Leaders Gozo seemed heading to their first defeat of the season but managed to salvage a point at the death.

Kalkara opened the score early on when a Joe Mizzi shot was deflected into the net by Sammy Bajada.

The Gozitans' reaction produced attempts by Joe Portelli and John Camilleri with Anthony Portelli missing a sitter just before the break.

After the change of ends Gozo continued to push forward and in the 54th minute they were back on level terms with a goal from substitute Charles Hili.

John Camilleri had a goal disallowed for offside with Kalkara gradually coming more into the picture. They were now creating the better goal scoring opportunities and regained the lead in the 81st minute with a Nicholas Gatt goal.

However, seconds from time the Gozitans levelled matters thanks to an excellent Charles Hili goal. This was the first time that Gozo FC had failed to win a match after nine successive victories.

Kalkara: M. Barbara, C. Barbara, W. Galea (C. Vassallo), H. Spiteri (N. Zerafa), K. Schembri, K. Tonna, N. Gatt, M. Drago, M. Cassar (C. Wait), J. Camilleri, J. Mizzi.

Gozo: J. Xuereb, J. Cefai, P. Buttigieg, B. Portelli, B. Meilaq, J. Portelli (C. Hili), J. Attard, J. Camilleri, A. Portelli, J. Buttigieg, S. Bajada (F. Camilleri).

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Gharghur 4
Kirkop United 2

Gharghur sustained their challenge for the play-offs after beating bottom-placed Kirkop 4-2.

Gharghur played the better football during the first half but it was Kirkop who took the lead on 20 minutes through Michael Theuma. A minute later Gharghur were back on level terms thanks to a Marvic Grech lob. The latter then made it 2-1 with a rasping drive from close in.

In the 35th minute Christian Glass made it 3-1 but Alan Cacciattolo pulled one back before half-time.

Kirkop tried hard not to finish empty-handed but suffered a fourth goal on 73 minutes when Antonello Brincat hit home for a final 4-2 scoreline.

Gharghur: F. Piscopo, D. Borg, D. Galea, M. Buttigieg, J. Schembri, A. Brincat (C. Cachia), R. Southward, M. Grech (J. Micallef), A. Azzopardi, C. Glass (C. Debattista), E. Lapira.

Kirkop: S. Cardona, M. Farrugia (D. Scicluna), B. Falzon, K. Buhagiar, J. Bellizzi, A. Deidun, B. Buhagiar, T. Bonnici, M. Theuma, A. Cacciattolo (D. Mangion), O. Zammit (C. Agius).

Referee: Pierre Bonnici.