Senglea push Mellieħa into further trouble

Mellieħa 1
Senglea Athletics 3

Mellieha slid closer to Division Two football next season after losing to Senglea for a second time this season. Although mathematically Ilir Pelinku's side could still survive, their chances are minimal as they face promotion favourites Mosta in their remaining match of the season.

After only two minutes Anthony Ewurun put Senglea on their way after heading in a Leeroy Bonnet cross from the right.

Mellieha responded in the eighth minute when following a Gianluca Calabretta pass, Sandro Costa Brasilino saw his drive saved by George Attard.

On 15 minutes Attard produced a superb save off a William Borg flick in front of goal and then Mellieha protested for a penalty when Calabretta was grounded in the box. However, the striker was booked for simulation.

On the half-hour mark a Daniel Cosaitis header was neutralised by Mellieha keeper Simon Gauci and, at the other end, some good work by Calabretta was finished off by Ibrahim Tarek but his shot from outside the area was saved by Attard. Two minutes before the break a Tarek free-kick hit the bar with the ball finishing over.

Mellieha did the attacking in the early stages of the second half but it was Senglea who could have made it 2-0 only for Ewurun to lob the ball over from an ideal position.

The Nigerian, however, made amends on 50 minutes when Joseph Farrugia floated a ball in the area and Ewurun was quick to shoot home, giving Gauci no chance.

Senglea held control and Mark Tanti failed to conclude from close in when he shot the ball against the goalkeeper. From the rebound, Brady Zerafa saw his effort hitting the post.

Thirteen minutes from time, Bonnet did well to reach a Cosaitis service before hitting hard and low past Gauci for Senglea's third goal of the day.

Mellieha pulled one back a minute from time when Tarek scored the consolation goal from close range following a Costa Brasilino cross.

Mellieħa
S. Gauci (J. Abela); W. Borg, G. Calabretta, P. Camilleri (D. Vella), K. Gauci, R. Vella, I. Tarek, H. Vella, L. Cauchi, S. Costa Brasilino, M. Camilleri (F. Vella).

Senglea Athletics
G. Attard; E. Azzopardi, L. Bonnet, D. Cosaitis, S. Aquilina, B. Zerafa (D. Cassar), K. Mifsud (T. Thomas), M. Tanti, J. Farrugia, K. Abela, A. Ewurun (G. Brincat).

Referee Paul Caruana.

Man of the match Anthony Ewurun (Senglea Athletics).

Dingli Swallows 2
St George's 2

St George's were close to making it a double over Dingli in a match which only served for the two sides to introduce some new faces.

With 10 minutes remaining St George's were leading comfortably 2-0 but Dingli hit back to earn a point.

Both sides had stand-in keepers in goal, Reuben Grech (Dingli) and James Mercieca (St George's). Striker Mark Galea also started the match for Dingli while Luke Desira Buttigieg replaced Glenn Barry. St George's also left out the unsettled Clayton Caruana.

This was a different kind of match compared to that of the first round when Michael Woods's side won 4-2.

After eight minutes Desira Buttigieg was put through by Luke Agius but the St George's striker was too slow to conclude with goalkeeper Grech intercepting.

In the 15th minute Desira Buttigieg tried his luck from just inside the area with the ball finishing wide and two minutes later Peter Anizoba should have given St George's the lead but dallied with the Dingli defence crowding him before taking the shot.

St George's took the lead in the 24th minute when Kurt Formosa easily slotted the ball home from a rebound.

Desira Buttigieg missed a sitter soon after the second half as the St George's striker was stopped by the alert Grech.

On 63 minutes Darren Ciappara missed a glorious chance for Dingli when he drove the ball high from a good position following some good work by Uchanna Anywanna. With 15 minutes left Anywanna had another effort saved by Mercieca.

St George's made it 2-0 in the 80th minute when Barry headed home from close range. But that was not the end of the story.

Four minutes later Jonathan Sapiano crossed from the right to the unmarked Anywanna who slotted the ball home. Then, in stoppage time, Sapiano's first-time effort was deflected into the net by Keith Xuereb for Dingli's equaliser.

Dingli Swallows
R. Grech, E. Casha, R. Spiteri, C. Ciappara, M. Galea, K. Formosa, C. Muscat, J. Agius (C. Tabone), J. Cachia (U. Anywanna), E. Farrugia (J. Sapiano), B. Galea.

St George's
J. Mercieca, J. Delia, K. Xuereb, H. Schembri, K. Formosa, L. Agius (G. Barry), M. Mifsud, P. Anizoba, L. Desira Buttigieg, V. Camilleri (C. Bugeja), E. Amaira (D. Galea).

Referee Esther Farrugia.

Man of the match Peter Anizoba (St George's).