Birżebbuġa St Peter's 5
Gozo FC 1
Birżebbuġa sustained their winning streak to move closer to leaders St Andrew's after annihilating bottom-placed Gozo FC 5-1.
Gozo started brightly and even had their own chances to open the score but on 24 minutes Ronnie Celeste put Birżebbuġa in front after a fine solo move.
Celeste almost doubled the score soon after but found the Gozo keeper on the right spot as the 'visitors' were denied by the post off a Brian Meilaq shot.
Gozo's Emanuel Cordina made it one-all on 38 minutes but Celeste hit home for the seasiders just before half-time from a Carlos Camenzuli cross.
Birżebbuġa were the better team after the break and quick goals from Camenzuli and Clive Formosa dashed all Gozitan aspirations. In stoppage time Formosa added a fifth goal after beating the opponents' keeper with a speculative shot from almost mid-pitch.
Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, B. Farrugia, E. Saliba, D. Baldacchino, M. Ellul, C. Formosa, N. Tabone, R. Adami, E. Bugeja (M. Zammit), C. Camenzuli (K. Muscat), R. Celeste (F. Peplow).
Gozo: J. Grech, B. Meilaq, F. Apap, R. Buttigieg, C. Sciortino (R. Grima), K. Mercieca, M. Cordina (L. Camilleri), M. Azzopardi, J. Cordina, J. Azzopardi (M. Cassar), M. Mifsud.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Lija Athletic 1
Senglea Athletic 0
An early Antoine Sacco goal was enough for Lija to beat a stubborn Senglea team.
Sacco was on the mark after nine minutes when he concluded some fine work by Lydon Cilia.
Lija held the initiative and Sacco headed just wide from a corner. A Cilia shot from an angle almost deceived keeper George Attard who then did well to parry a Luca Desira Buttigieg shot.
Senglea came more into the picture after the break and were close through Bjorn Dalli.
Lija won a free-kick, taken by Martin Camilleri, but Attard did well to stop as he did moments later to keep out Cilia's powerful drive.
Senglea pushed more men forward and were unlucky late on when a free-kick taken by Jonathan Buttigieg bounced against the bar.
Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Camilleri, M. Mangion, A. Saliba, D. Scerri, L. Desira Buttigieg (M. Borg), L. Cilia (M. Schembri), A. Sacco, J.P. Scerri, H. Schembri (B. Antignolo), C. Ciantar.
Senglea: G. Attard, E. Azzopardi, J. Spiteri, B. Zerafa, J. Buttigieg, D. Grech, H. Hughes, B. Dalli, T. Thomas, A. Sciortino, D. Gatt (G. Brincat).
Referee: Mitchell Scerri.
Mellieħa 1
Sta Venera Lightnings 1
This clash between two teams who have failed to lift off so far ended all-square as the strong winds made it difficult for any side to play constructive football.
Mellieħa could have taken an early lead but Lightnings keeper John Agius stopped shots at his goal by Jeffrey Gauci. Sta Venera had a Stefan Farrugia free-kick on 14 minutes that flashed past the post.
The northerners took a deserved lead on 34 minutes through Alex Portelli who found a way past Agius with a shot from the distance.
On resumption, Sta Venera took the upperhand but it was Ibrahim Tarek who almost headed Mellieħa's second goal only to be denied by Agius. But the Saints drew level on 63 minutes thanks to a Nenad Veselji goal.
Sta Venera shouted penalty ten minutes later for a foul on Alistair Camilleri but the referee waved play on. Late in the match a shot by Veselji was saved by Gauci.
Mellieħa: S. Gauci, J. Gauci, A. Portelli, M. Vella, L. Cauchi, K. Gauci, W. Borg, P. Vella (A. Barr), I. Tarek, P. Camilleri, R. Micallef (H. Vella).
Sta Venera: J. Agius, D. Calleja, G. Magri, Y. Mun Law, M. Muscat, Is. Zammit (G. Falzon), M. Ebejer (K. Vella), A. Ellul, N. Veselji, A. Camilleri, S. Farrugia.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Żebbuġ Rangers 3
Rabat Ajax 0
Żebbuġ were back to winning ways after three successive defeats leaving Rabat Ajax hovering in the red zone of the standings.
Rangers opened the score on 26 minutes. Rabat defender Chris Schembri handled the ball inside his own box and from the penalty Stephen Calleja made it 1-0.
Żebbuġ had a Mark Deguara header falling just off target and at the other end Rabat's Alan Zahra failed to score from an ideal position. Then, just before half-time, Anthony Lagana hit home to make it 2-0 for Rangers.
Rabat gained the initiative after the break and tested the Rangers keeper with shots by Joseph Caruana and Adam Smeir. A Schembri free-kick was headed just wide by Darren Galea but 14 minutes from time the Magpies were reduced to ten players when Adrian Mifsud was sent off for a second booking.
Żebbuġ made sure of the points eight minutes from time with an Omar Rababah goal and on 87 minutes Rangers were also reduced to ten players when Johan Cilia was red carded for dangerous play.
Żebbuġ: M. Pace, S. Calleja, J. Mercieca, S. Privitelli, E. Calleja, J. Cilia, A. Lagana (R. Ellul), St. Calleja, J. Galea (J. Fenech), O. Rababah (G. Scerri), M. Deguara.
Rabat: J. Borg, N. Caruana, C. Schembri, J. Caruana, A. Mifsud, A. Zahra, A. Smeir, D. Galea, A. Wingfield (S. Gauci), K. Cassar, D. Azzopardi (C. Tonna).
Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.