Knights hit back to beat Mtarfa in derby

Mtarfa 1
Mdina Knights 2

Matthew Francalanza came off the bench and scored two late goals to help Mdina Knights hit back from a goal down and beat Mtarfa in a balanced derby. Mdina are still in the reckoning for the play-offs.

Mdina looked the stronger side but gradually Mtarfa started to share the exchanges.

On 25 minutes they were close to taking the lead but an attempt by Richard Attard was cleared off the line by Andre Vassallo.

Mdina's Adrian Farrugia rifled a shot that scraped the bar from a quick break.

Mtarfa took the lead on 38 minutes from a Joseph Farrugia free-kick. Mdina were unlucky not to draw level after the break but Ian Sammut's shot hit the post.

Mdina finally drew level on 79 minutes when Francalanza beat Sciberras with a low shot and five minutes later the Knights substitute hit the winner following a fine solo effort.

Mtarfa: A. Muscat, P. Spiteri (J. Azzopardi), S. Briffa, L. Wingfield, C. Borg, S. Meilaq, R. Attard, G. Cumbo, M. Stivala, J. Farrugia (J.P. Ciantar), L. Zahra (B. Zammit).

Mdina: R. Sciberras, G. Camilleri, L. Mercieca (M. Francalanza), G. Naudi, I. Sammut, T. Nader, C. Caruana (A. Scerri), A. Vassallo, A. Buhagiar, N. Micallef, A. Farrugia (G. Frendo).

Referee: Jude Utulu.

Fgura United 1
Ghaxaq 0

Fgura managed to overcome Ghaxaq's stiff resistance to keep the pace with Attard and Mdina for a place in the play-offs.

Fgura dictated the run of play and took the lead on 23 minutes when a cross by Shantlo Felice was headed on by Matthew Spiteri to Jason Gauci who beat Celeste in the Ghaxaq goal.

Ghaxaq were a different team after the break and almost drew level on 70 minutes but Noel Bilocca failed to hit home from an ideal position.

Fgura: R. Farrugia, S. Felice, J. Gauci, I. Cassar, C. Ellul, R. Galea, M. Ellul, C. Bordieri, C. Garzia (P. Muscat), M. Spiteri, C. Pace (T. Butterworth).

Ghaxaq: P. Celeste, C. Xuereb, D. Lapira (M. Muscat), E. Dimech, B. Barbara, L. Camilleri, A. Brignone, N. Bilocca, M. Agius (C. Cristiano), F. Galea, K. Gambin.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Attard 0
Qrendi 0

This was a match during which the two respective defences held tight and never allowed extra space for their opponents to manoeuvre. Attard are now joint runners-up.

Attard keeper Formosa did well to stop a Josef Mansueto drive and a Henry Jones free-kick. Joe Farrugia hit just high over the Attard bar just before the break.

Attard were the better team after the break with Yan Grech going close soon after the restart. In the 58th minute a Fabian Cutajar free-kick was saved by Mascena but Qrendi had the best chance as a point-blank shot by Joe Mercieca was parried by Formosa.

Attard: O. Formosa, M. Cutajar, D. Agius, M. Tabone (A. Agius), F. Cutajar, Y. Grech, J. Axisa, J. Anastasi (M. Saliba), F. Aboulezz, F. Farrugia, C. Lanzon.

Qrendi: R. Mascena, A. Mangion, A. Abdilla, H. Jones, R. Galea, M. Camilleri, J. Farrugia, S. Sacco, J. Azzopardi (L. Spiteri), J. Mansueto, J. Mercieca (J. Ellul).

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Section 'B'

Gharghur 1
Sta Lucija 0

Jesmond Micallef struck the winner for Gharghur who picked up three precious points at the expense of Sta Lucija to go third in the standings behind Gozo and Gzira.

The deadlock in this match was broken on 54 minutes when Micallef hit the ball home from a Southward cross.

Glass could have further increased Gharghur's lead but his shot hit the upright as Sta Lucija struggled to find a way back in the match.

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

Sta Lucija: D. Carabott, C. Agius, S. Lanzon, M. Vella (C. Vassallo), C. Cutajar, O. Magri, R. Mangion, C. Curmi, A. Sapiano, I. Cutajar, C. Goodrum (J. Grima).

Referee: Duncan Sultana.