Hotspurs tame Lions to move top

The last matches from Day Eight of the GFA Division One saw Victoria Hotspurs edge champions Sannat Lions 2-1 to go top of the standings while Nadur Youngsters were held to a 2-2 draw by relegation strugglers Kerċem Ajax.

Victoria deserved their victory over Sannat. They went all out to score an early goal and stormed ahead on 18 minutes through Noel Borg following a corner action.

Sannat could not find their rhythm and the Hotspurs took advantage to double the score just after the half-hour mark.

Nigerian Uchenna Anyanwu surprised keeper Paul Galea to make it 2-0.

The Hotspurs comfortably administered their two-goal lead after the break as Sannat found it extremely difficult to test Grima in the opponents' goal.

The Lions had to wait until stoppage time to score a consolation goal through Sabri Rais. However, there was not much time left for them to complete a comeback.

Nadur, who had central defender Peter Paul Buttigieg and striker Claudio Antunes missing due to suspension, had to dig in to avoid an embarrassing upset.

The Ajax were undoubtedly the better side at first and opened a two-goal lead thanks to a brace from Milos Stojanovic in the space of seven minutes.

Kerċem could have added a third goal but 10 minutes before half-time Marcos Aurelio Ribeiro was denied by keeper Steve Sultana.

Nadur were a determined lot after the break. They had a Kyle Russell goal disallowed for offside and a header by Charles Mercieca cleared off the line by skipper Frankie Camilleri.

Jeffrey Meilaq pulled one back on 69 minutes with a low shot from the edge of the area and three minutes later the Youngsters drew level when Anthony Portelli was floored in the area by Camilleri. From the penalty, Fabiano Bassi made it 2-2.

Nadur ventured forward in the remaining minutes of the match but the Ajax held tight to secure a useful point.

Division Two

Runaway leaders St Lawrence Spurs and Xagħra United maintained their march at the top of the standings last weekend.

The Spurs beat Għarb Rangers 3-0. Franklin Grima opened the scoring on 20 minutes and Jonathan Micallef made it 2-0 seven minutes after the restart.

Rangers were never in the game and on 68 minutes the Saints sealed the issue with a third goal scored by Mario Cutajar.

Xagħra found it harder than expected to beat lowly Qala St Joseph who had keeper Kenny Grima in fine form.

The Blues scored the only goal of the match midway through the second half through Michael Bezzina.

Qala almost snatched a late equaliser but a lob by substitute Joseph Abela was stopped in time by keeper Matthew Vella.

Summaries

Kerċem Ajax 2
Stojanovic 20, 27
Nadur Youngsters 2
Meilaq 69; Bassi 72 pen.

Kerċem Ajax
C. Mercieca, F. Camilleri, M. Tabone, D. Sakic, D. Mercieca, E. Hussein, J.P. Mizzi, M. Mamo, M. Stojanovic, L. Camilleri, M.A. Ribeiro.

Nadur Youngsters
S. Sultana, J. Meilaq, M. Portelli (K. Russell), S. Attard, A. Simoncic, C. Mercieca, P. Camilleri, C. Hili, F. Bassi, A. Portelli, J. Buttigieg.

Victoria Hotspurs 2
Borg 18; Anyanwu 32
Sannat Lions 1
Rais 90

Victoria Hotspurs
M. Grima, A. Zammit, O.J. Emanche, R. Grech (J.P. Grima), E. Nkwankwo, J. Mizzi (R. Mercieca), J. Xerri, N. Borg, U. Anyanwu, O. Farrugia (J. Azzopardi), M. Vella.

Sannat Lions
P. Galea, P. Spiteri, S. Rais, A. Debono, M. Azzopardi, B. Njoku, J. Portelli, N. Filipov, F. De Andrade, J. Camilleri, N. Micallef (F. Debono).