Laferla Insurance WH 2
BDO Sliema Hotsticks 1
The opening match of the league season was characterised by some scrappy play with goalmouth actions few and far between.
The first scoring chance came on seven minutes when from a short corner, Luke Borg Costanzi saw his fierce hit at goal saved by young Sliema goalkeeper Ludwig Cole.
The Hotsticks were awarded a penalty stroke on 11 minutes but Ryan George's effort was well saved by Robert Vassallo Agius.
On the stroke of half-time, however, Sliema went one up through Dylan Lentini when he flicked the ball high into the net following a confused short corner action.
White Hart came close to equalise on a couple of occasions, however they had to wait till the 49th minute to break down their opponents' resistance. Mark Zahra unmarked Reno Bianchi who had no difficulty to slam the ball in.
Five minutes later White Hart went 2-1 up. Borg Costanzi's hit at goal smacked against the upright only for Keith Laferla to hammer home the rebound.
White Hart could have added a third but Tony Azzopardi's hit on the run was excellently saved by Cole.
Sliema tried hard not to finish empty-handed and could have done so when they were awarded another penalty stroke on 70 minutes.
From the resultant stroke Andrei Imbroll watched his flick come off the upright.
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 3
Mr Clean Young Stars 0
Qormi could not have had a better start when from the first short corner an unstoppable hit by Ryan Brincat went in off the keeper's pads.
Luke Busuttil Leaver fumbled a good chance to score on seven minutes when all alone in front of Qormi custodian Ramon Chircop but from a counter attack Qormi made it 2-0 through Phillip Magri. After receiving a pass from Jonathan Borg, Magri slipped the ball past keeper James Mizzi.
Young Stars then had no fewer than seven short corners in favour which were all well controlled by the Qormi defenders.
On resumption, Jonathan Ellul could have pulled one back for Young Stars but completely missed the target with open goalposts at his mercy.
Again on 63 minutes, Young Stars missed a goal-scoring opportunity but that was that as Qormi took control with Waylin Abdilla, who had substituted Mizzi, effecting some fine saves only to be beaten by Saul Halladay just before the final whistle.