First victory for Saints

Pietà Hotspurs 0
San Ġwann 2

San Ġwann, who only had one point to show from their previous four outings, finally broke their duck yesterday as they beat fellows-in-distress Pietà Hotspurs to move off the bottom place in the standings.

Now, the Hotspurs are the only team in this division without a win. They only scored one goal from five outings and that confirms the problems they face particularly upfront.

Brian Spiteri's Saints deserved their victory they pushed more men forward as they relied mostly on their men on the flanks.

After a dull opening, the first scoring opportunity came on 27 minutes when San Ġwann's Chris Cuschieri was thwarted twice following a Ryan Sell move. Cuschieri had his first effort blocked by Miguel Montfort and from the rebound he was again denied by the alert Pietà goalkeeper.

Pietà had a Carl Sammut free-kick dealt with by Justin Spiteri and then the Hotspurs were unlucky not to open the score when Matthew Agius's shot hit the crossbar with the San Ġwann keeper beaten.

Soon after the change of ends, Sergio Hili failed to ram home the rebound after Montfort had half-parried a Sell shot from outside the box. San Ġwann, however, took the lead on 55 minutes.

Firaz Aboulezz sprayed an inviting ball forward. Leeroy Bonnett did well to open the way for Sell who sprinted down the right before outsmarting Montfort with a perfect lob.

On 63 minutes, the Saints threatened again but this time a Hili shot was stopped in style by the Pietà keeper.

Montfort again came to his side's rescue to stop a Bonnet shot from close in as Pietà were finding life difficult to penetrate a well-organised Saints' defence.

A Sheldon Grech drive from the distance was saved by Spiteri and the Saints' keeper did the trick again to block a Dominic Mifsud free-kick from 30 metres out.

San Ġwann put the game beyond Pieta's reach in stoppage time. Montfort was caught upfield to assist his colleagues in a corner, the ball was booted goalwards by Sell and Bonnett was on the right spot to complete formalities.

Pietà: M. Montfort, C. Sammut (M. Marmara), J. Delia (C. Spiteri), B. Sciberras, Q. Refalo, S. Grech, S. Micallef, C. Cassar, M. Agius (J. Azzopardi), D. Mifsud, I. Grech.

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri, Q. Breeman, M. Francica, M. Caruana, L. Cumbo, A. Borg, C. Cuschieri, F. Aboulezz (J. Zammit), L. Bonnett, S. Hili (N. Curmi), R. Sell.

Referee: Fiodor Zammit.

Man of the match: Ryan Sell (San Ġwann).