Precious win for Melita

Melita 4
Mellieħa 1

Melita produced a superb second-half display to overcome Mellieħa's stiff challenge and leapfrog the same northerners in the standings as the race for the top placings is getting hotter despite the campaign being in its infancy.

Nine minutes into the match Melita were denied by Simon Gauci off a strong shot by Matthew Borg I and later on they were again close through Julian Galea following good work by Kane Micallef.

Melita broke the deadlock with a Borg I goal on 33 minutes and just before the change of ends an Ives Bilocca free-kick just missed the Mellieħa far post.

Wayne Borg St John equalised for Mellieħa on the hour following good work by Kevin Gauci but seven minutes later Melita regained the lead. Galea beat Gauci with an angled shot following a personal effort.

Mellieħa found it hard to get back into the reckoning with Melita increasing their lead on 82 minutes through Bilocca.

A minute from time the Amateurs sealed their win with a fourth goal as Borg I delivered a perfect ball from the left flank and Bilocca hit home from close in.

Two minutes into stoppage-time Mellieħa midfielder William Borg was sent off for a second caution.

Melita: M. Sapiano, D. Gravino, G. Gribbon, J. Mifsud, L. Micallef, M. Martin, A. Caruana Scicluna (L. Fenech), I. Bilocca, J. Galea, K. Micallef (S. Diacono), M. Borg I (N. Zammit).

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, W. Borg, P. Camilleri (L. Attard), K. Gauci, D. Fenech, W. Borg St John, R. Vella, G. Conti (C. Cutajar) M. Borg (H. Vella), K. Cassar, L. Cauchi.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Birżebbuġa SP 2
Naxxar Lions 1

Birżebbuġa notched their first win of the season despite having to play for most of the second half with ten players after having Bernard Farrugia sent off.

Naxxar dictated the run of play during the early stages and went close to opening the score through Joseph Mercieca and Mark Deguara. A Digger Okonkwo free-kick was stopped by Paul Celeste but gradually the seasiders assumed the initiative with Noel Tabone wasting a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

Tabone was denied by the Naxxar keeper and on another occasion Alistair Buhagiar hit just wide following good work by Clive Formosa.

Birżebbuġa were dealt a hard blow on 53 minutes when Farrugia was sent off for a double caution and two minutes later Naxxar took the lead thanks to an Andy Bartolo goal.

The southerners did not throw in the towel though and produced a strong reaction that yielded rich dividends.

On 74 minutes, substitute Ronnie Celeste made it one-all with a powerful rising shot and one minute from time the comeback was completed when Clive Formosa hit home from close in.

Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste, E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, D. Vella, M. Ciappara, M. Ellul, J. Cassar (R. Baldacchino), C. Formosa, N. Tabone, G. Scerri (J. Camilleri), A. Buhagiar (R. Celeste).

Naxxar: D. Vella, K. Fenech, D. Okonkwo, M. Spiteri Gonzi, J. Sank, A. Catania, A. Fenech, M. Coleiro (A. Delnegro), J. Mercieca (T. Spiteri), A. Bartolo, M. Deguara.

Referee: Andre Arciola.

Sta Venera 0
Lija Athletic 1

Lija recovered from their upset in the previous match as they beat lowly Sta Venera to go second in the standings, one point behind leaders Balzan.

Sta Venera went close after two minutes when Jeffrey Zammit hit just wide following a cross by Stefan Farrugia.

Then, attempts by Zammit and Martin Briffa just missed the Lija goal.

At the other end, Glenn Barry fired wide from just outside the box and on 27 minutes the same Lija striker appeared to have been fouled in the box but no penalty was given.

Five minutes from half-time, Saints keeper Mercieca made an excellent save off a Chris Pace header.

Lija saw more of the ball in the second half despite the rainy weather but had to wait until the 72nd minute to find a breakthrough. Chris Pace hit home with a rasping grounder that had the better of Mercieca.

Sta Venera: J. Mercieca, D. Calleja (A. Ellul), A. Cachia, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, A. Hili (M. Caruana), G. Micallef, S. Farrugia, M. Briffa, J. Zammit, M. Grech (I. Falzon).

Lija: L. Bonnici, A. Spiteri (M. Borg), M. Mangion, B. Antignolo (D. Cremona), D. Scerri, G. Barry, J.P. Scerri, C. Pace, A. Scicluna (I. Tarik), C. Ciantar, M. Camilleri.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Marsa 0
St Andrew's 0

St Andrew's are still unbeaten in the league after drawing their fifth consecutive match. Matthew Calascione, formerly of Birkirkara, made his debut for the Saints as Marsa continue to show progress to earn their first point of the season.

Calascione had a good chance to mark his first match for St Andrew's with a goal but his shot was saved by Roderick Spiteri after only three minutes.

Calascione's corner was headed towards goal by Steve Falzon on 21 minutes but Spiteri saved with difficulty. The Marsa keeper again did well just before half-time to keep out a Ben Diacono shot.

Calascione's shot on 56 minutes finished inches wide of the far post as Marsa replied with a Jonathan Martin effort that was dealt with by the Saints' keeper.

St Andrew's almost broke the deadlock a few minutes from time with a strong shot by Michael Valencia that smacked against the Marsa upright.

Marsa: R. Spiteri, C. Camilleri, J. Rizzo, K. Scerri, S. Cutajar (B. Demicoli), J. Camilleri, S. Farrugia, A. Spiteri, G. Cutajar, J. Martin (J.P. Zammit), J. Dalli (C. Cioffi).

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, E. Hili (A. Camilleri Kamsky), B. Diacono, J. Briscoe White, S. Falzon, N. Chetcuti, M. Valenzia, N. Vella Petroni (A. Debattista), M. Calascione, A. Busuttil, M. Grima.

Referee: Sammy Attard.