Lions beat Gozo to revive salvation hopes

Naxxar Lions 3
Gozo FC 1

Naxxar Lions chalked up their first win of the season after upsetting Gozo FC in a match which the Lions held the upperhand for long stretches.

After this fine showing, Naxxar will have fresh hopes of avoiding the drop.

Naxxar could have taken the lead as early as the first minute when Chris Farrugia's angled shot finished just wide. Andy Bartolo put the Lions ahead after 14 minutes when he finished off a good move by Adrian Fenech.

Gradually the Gozitans increased the pressure and shots by Joseph Cefai and Josef Buttigieg just missed the target.

On the stroke of half-time, the Lions were denied by Xuereb off a point-blank effort by Adrian Fenech.

Six minutes into the second-half Gozo FC drew level through Josef Buttigieg. But, barely two minutes later, Naxxar regained the lead when Fenech's deflected shot finished in the Gozitan net.

Bartolo could have increased Naxxar lead but 13 minutes from time Mark Deguara beat Gozo substitute goalkeeper Jean-Pierre Saliba to make it 3-1.

Naxxar: D. Vella, J. Agius, M. Spiteri Gonzi, K. Fenech, M. Coleiro, C. Farrugia, A. Fenech (J. Balzan), A. Bartolo, A. Delnegro, M. Deguara (G. Sant), A. Bajada (V. Bellia).

Gozo: J. Xuereb (J.P. Saliba), J. Cefai, B. Meilaq, J. Portelli (E. Portelli), O. Farrugia, J. Vella, S.F. Bajada, E. Grima, J. Attard, J. Camilleri, J. Buttigieg.

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Birżebbuġa St Peter's 0
Lija Athletic 1

Lija Athletic completed a double of victories over Birżebbuġa St Peter's in a match that was hampered by the strong winds at the Centenary Stadium. Marco Gerada's team are now third in the standings on 27 points, six adrift of second-placed Melita.

Lija took just three minutes to open the score when Carlo Leonardi fired the ball home with a low shot. Four minutes later, Lija missed a glaring opportunity as Lydon Cilia, all alone infront of goal, shot straight into keeper Paul Celeste.

The Saints responded with a Justin Camilleri shot that was saved with difficulty by Luke Bonnici.

Lija continued to dictate the run of play and were denied by Celeste off a strong shot by Daniel Scerri whereas on other occasions efforts by Andrea Spiteri and Cilia finished just wide.

After the interval it was Birżebbuġa who dictated the run of play with John Paul Barbara and Noel Tabone going close to grab an equaliser. Minutes later, Clive Formosa's shot was saved by Bonnici.

Late on, Birżebbuġa were again close when Eric Saliba's shot ended just over while in stoppage time Bonnici had to be alert to avoid an own goal.

Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste, J. Camilleri (K. Muscat) E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, D. Vella, R. Baldacchino, M. Ciappara, J.P. Barbara (R. Celeste), J. Cassar (C. Camilleri), C. Formosa, N. Tabone.

Lija: L. Bonnici, A. Spiteri, M. Mangion, K. Grech, D. Scerri, C. Leonardi, L. Cilia, J.P. Scerri, C. Pace, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo.

Referee: Mario Apap.

Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Sta Venera Lightnings 2

Sta Venera's good run under coach Patrick Zammit continued with an important win over Żebbuġ Rangers in a match decided by substitutes Mark Grech and Nathan Caruana, the former having a decisive role in both goals and the latter scoring the second in injury-time.

Sta Venera created two clear chances early on.

After two minutes a low cross by Antoine Galea caused havoc in the Rangers defence and on ten minutes a low shot by Andre Cachia finished just wide.

Gradually the Rangers shared the exchanges with an Errol Cachia free-kick being saved by John Agius and on 22 minutes Sta Venera responded with an Ian Falzon header that was stopped by Martin Pace.

Just before the break, Żebbuġ custodian Martin Pace did well to stop an insidious shot by Jeffrey Zammit.

Early in the second half, the Lightnings were very close to taking the lead as a firm shot by Jeffrey Zammit was blocked by Pace.

The stalemate was finally broken on 63 minutes when substitute Grech anticipated Rangers defender Gordon Mallia before squaring the ball to Zammit who hit past Pace.

At the other end, Sta Venera keeper John Agius denied Rio Micallef while five minutes from time a dangerous shot by George Saliba just missed the target.

The Lightnings sealed the points four minutes into stoppage time when Grech made all the spadework before setting up Caruana who rifled the ball home.

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, R. Bugeja, G. Mallia, R. Attard, B. Galea, G. Saliba, E. Cachia, R. Micallef, C. Tabone, L. Vella (M. Cilia), O. Rababah.

Sta Venera: J. Agius, A. Cachia, A. Galea, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, D. Calleja (N. Caruana), G. Micallef (G. Frendo), I. Falzon (M. Grech), J. Zammit, A. Ellul, D. Zuccaro.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

St Andrew's 2
Mġarr United 2

St Andrew's were forced to settle for their ninth drawn result of the season after conceding an injury time equaliser.

It was a fair outcome to a match which saw both teams creating several scoring chances.

It was Mġarr who broke the deadlock after only three minutes when Steve Aquilina headed the ball home after an indecision by Saints' player Michael Grima.

Malcolm Bugeja could have double Mġarr's lead on 13 minutes but shot over with only the St Andrew's goalkeeper to beat.

The Saints' response arrived minutes later but Matthew Calascione's free-kick just missed the target while William Camilleri's shot was pushed away by Mġarr keeper Grech.

Eight minutes after the restart Mġarr were close to increasing their lead as Neil Busuttil shot just wide with the Saints' keeper out of his goal and at the other end St Andrews were denied by Grech off an effort by Michael Calleja.

The Saints drew level on 62 minutes when in a swift break Grima fired the ball home.

Gradually St Andrew's regained the initiative and on 78 minutes Calascione put them 2-1 up after finishing off a good move by Grima.

However, four minutes into stoppage time Mġarr grabbed a dramatic equaliser when Bugeja fired the ball home to hand his team a merited point.

St Andrew's: F. Tabone, T. Martin (E. Hili), B. Diacono, T. Sullivan, W. Camilleri, D. Cuschieri, M. Valenzia, M. Calleja (A. Amato), L. Desira Buttigieg, M. Grima, M. Calascione.

Mġarr UTD: L. Grech, A. Portelli, N. Busuttil, C. Bugeja, W. Camilleri, A. Muscat, S. Mizzi (D. Muscat), C. Gauci (J. Camilleri), J. Micallef, M. Bugeja, S. Aquilina.

Referee: Marco Borg.