Leaders St Andrew's held to a draw as Lija beat Gżira

Gozo FC 2
St Andrew's 2

Leaders St Andrew's were surprisingly held to a draw by lowly Gozo FC. Although the Saints failed to clinch maximum points they still top the standings but they are only one point ahead of Lija now.

The Saints opened the score at the Gozo Stadium through Michael Grima after three minutes. The hosts tried to recover from that early shock but St Andrew's went close to increasing their lead with efforts from Michael Calleja, William Camilleri and Andrew Camilleri Kamsky.

Gozo shouted goal when an Errol Grima inswinger looked to have crossed the line but the referee waved play on. Gozo, however, levelled matters before half-time with a John Camilleri goal following a fast break.

William Camilleri gave the Saints a 2-1 lead on 57 minutes from a Michael Ellul corner but Camilleri marred his day with a red card soon after for a double booking.

Gozo made the extra-man advantage count and scored a second equaliser on 79 minutes through John Camilleri following a perfect ball by substitute Mario Mifsud.

In a frantic finale, Gozo were also reduced to ten players when Josmar Vella was sent off for a second yellow card.

Gozo: D. Pace, M. Muscat, M. Formosa (M. Mifsud), M. Azzopardi, F. Debono (C. Sciortino), P.P. Buttigieg, D. Mercieca, S. Attard, J. Camilleri, E. Grima (S. Muscat), J. Vella.

St Andrew's: R. Gauci, N. Chetcuti, M. Camilleri Kamsky, J. Briscoe White (P. Briscoe White), J. Bajada, W. Camilleri, M. Ellul, M. Valenzia, M. Grima, M. Calleja, N. Vella Petroni (J.P. Calleja).

Referee: Mohammed Khalil.

Lija Athletic 2
Gżira United 1

Lija beat Gżira in a top-of-the-table clash and now they are favourites, along with St Andrew's, to gain promotion as the Maroons' hopes suffered a severe setback.

Lija gained the initiative during the early stages and a Keith Darmanin free-kick ended just over the bar. Darmanin found Matthew Schembri with a square pass on 12 minutes but the latter miscued his shot.

Gżira midfielder Keith Bonello headed the ball off the line from a Darmanin free-kick and a few minutes later a Schembri shot was blocked by a Gżira defender.

The match was more balanced after the break as Gżira came more into the picture. However, it was Lija who opened the score first when Antoine Sacco fired in from a Beppe Antignolo centre.

Gżira hit back strongly and drew level on 73 minutes from a penalty awarded for a foul on Bonello and converted by Richard Attard.

After this goal play resulted in midfield but with a drawn outcome looming Lija were awarded a disputed penalty for a foul by keeper Roderick Debattista on Antignolo. The Gżira no.1 was sent off and Darmanin beat stand-in Malcolm Sultana.

In added time Lija had substitute Andre Scicluna sent off for a second caution.

Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Camilleri, M. Mangion, A. Saliba, D. Scerri, A. Sacco, L. Cilia (A. Scicluna), K. Darmanin (A. Spiteri), J.P. Scerri, M. Schembri (B. Antignolo), H. Schembri.

Gżira: R. Debattista, A. White, H. Gatt Bonello, M. Sultana, J. Felice (R. Attard), M. Cocks, T. Micallef (O. Spiteri), K. Bonello, J. Gatt (J. Tabone), N. Corito, N. Gatt Coleiro.

Referee: Paul Apap.

Sta Venera 1
Senglea Athletic 2

Senglea made it a double over Sta Venera in a match decided by goals from strikers Bjorn Dalli and Timmy Thomas.

Dalli put Senglea in front on 10 minutes when he profited from an indecision inside the Saints' box.

Sta Venera tried to hit back with efforts by Redeemer Borg and they sustained the pressure after the break only to be denied by keeper George Attard.

A Stefan Farrugia free-kick just missed the Senglea goal but in a counter-attack on 62 minutes Thomas rounded the Sta Venera keeper before placing the ball inside an empty net.

Sta Venera pulled one back on 85 minutes through Nenad Veselji who headed in from a Dione Vella cross.

In stoppage time, Sta Venera were twice close to an equaliser but efforts by Andrew Hili and Vella were neutralised by the Senglea defence.

Sta Venera: J. Agius, A. Cachia, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, S. Farrugia, A. Ellul, A. Hili, I. Zammit (C. Azzopardi), R. Borg (D. Vella), G. Falzon (N. Veselji), A. Camilleri.

Senglea: G. Attard, B. Zerafa, C. Borg, J. Spiteri, A. Sciortino, H. Hughes, D. Cosaitis (K. Galea), J. Buttigieg, T. Thomas, B. Dalli (C. Dimech), R. Tanti (R. Degiorgio).

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Għargħur 2
Żebbuġ Rangers 2

A Daniel Cremona goal six minutes from time earned Għargħur a merited point against Żebbuġ Rangers. Both teams ended the match with ten players following the dismissals of Joe Mercieca (Żebbuġ) and Gareth Galea (Għargħur).

Żebbuġ took the lead on ten minutes with a Silvan Privitelli goal but Għargħur were unlucky on the half-hour mark as a shot by David Mamo hit the bar. Seconds later Rangers made it 2-0 through Omar Rababah following a swift counter-attack.

Għargħur did not throw in the towel though and reduced the arrears just before half-time through a penalty converted by Daniel Borg.

Għargħur pushed forward in search of an equaliser after the break and were close through Cremona. A Borg header was turned onto the post by the Żebbuġ keeper and then Mercieca was sent off for dissent.

Substitute Galea was dismissed nine minutes from time, also for unwarranted remarks, but Għargħur still managed to draw level thanks to Cremona's timely goal.

Għargħur: M. Aquilina, D. Galea, D. Borg, M. Mercieca, J. Galea, C. Zammit, C. Farrugia, D. Cremona, A. Azzopardi (G. Galea), D. Mamo, C. Vella (F. Grech).

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, J. Fenech, J. Mercieca, S. Calleja (P. Ciantar), E. Calleja, J. Cilia, A. Lagana, S. Privitelli, G. Scerri (J. Galea, St. Calleja), M. Deguara, O. Rababah.

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.

Rabat Ajax 1
Żurrieq 0

A first-half goal scored by Justin Felice earned Rabat a crucial win over Żurrieq. The Magpies are still third from bottom but they have now joined the Reds on the 16-point mark.

After two minutes, Rabat claimed a penalty for a handling infringement by Darren Bellizzi and then two shots by Alan Zahra and Justin Felice were well saved by Julian Azzopardi.

At the other end, Żurrieq were close through a header by Daniel Zammit and a free-kick by Johan Briffa, both efforts stopped by Jonathan Azzopardi.

Rabat took the lead on 29 minutes when Felice hit home following a fine move initiated by Adam Smeir. Felice could have made it 2-0 soon after but shot straight at Azzopardi when unmarked in the opponents' box.

Two minutes after the break, Żurrieq were denied by Azzopardi off a Zammit shot but it was Rabat who continued to push forward only for goal attempts by Zahra and Smeir to be stopped by the Reds' keeper.

Eight minutes from time, Żurrieq could have grabbed an equaliser but Victor Zerafa blasted wide from inside the box and then a Zammit header was saved by Azzopardi.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, C. Schembri, J. Caruana, S. Gauci, J. Felice (A. Wingfield), A. Zahra (M. Micallef), A. Smeir, D. Azzopardi, D. Falzon, K. Cassar, E. Muscat.

Żurrieq: J. Azzopardi, A. Barbara, D. Bellizzi, D. Bonnici, K. Sacco (M. Spiteri), M. Abdilla (S. Azzopardi), J. Saliba, D. Zammit, C. Shumba, Joh. Briffa, Jos. Briffa (V. Zerafa).

Referee: Mitchell Scerri.