Champs Lija in goal rush as St Andrew's secure promotion

Lija Athletic 6
Mellieħa 2

Lija were crowned Division Two champions after a crushing victory over a disappointing Mellieħa side last weekend.

Lija were all over their opponents right from the outset and took just four minutes to forge ahead when Keith Darmanin's grounder hit the back of the net.

Marco Gerada's men kept pushing forward and Mellieħa keeper James Abela did well to keep out efforts from Darmanin and Matthew Borg.

On 27 minutes, Lija made it 2-0 when Antoine Sacco scored from close in. The former Valletta hitman was again on target five minutes later when he profited from an indecision by Reuben Vella to shoot past Abela.

Two minutes into stoppage time Lija added a fourth goal when Beppe Antignolo scored following a personal effort.

Lija held the initiative after the interval but it was Mellieħa who threatened when Wayne Borg St John fired wide from an inviting position.

On 53 minutes, Lija made it 5-0 when Matthew Borg headed home from a Darmanin free-kick.

Mellieħa pulled two goals back in stoppage time through substitute Wayne Borg St John and William Borg. However, it was Lija who had the final say when they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Scerri who made no mistake from the spot.

After the match, Lija captain Scerri was presented with the trophy by MFA vice-president Peter Fenech.

Lija:
L. Bonnici, M. Camilleri, D. Scerri, A. Sacco (A. Spiteri), M. Borg (L. Desira Buttigieg), K. Darmanin, J.P. Scerri, M. Mangion, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo (M. Schembri), H. Schembri.

Mellieħa:
J. Abela, M. Vella, M. Borg (M. Vella), A. Portelli, L. Cauchi, W. Borg, R. Micallef (M. Abela), K. Gauci, P. Camilleri (J. Vella), R. Vella, W. Borg St John.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

St Andrew's 4
Għargħur 1

St Andrew's marked their promotion to Division One with an easy win over the hapless Għargħur who will play in Division Three next season.

Għargħur looked the livelier lot in the opening half and Saints keeper Reuben Gauci was on hand to keep out a point-blank effort by Daniel Cremona.

St Andrew's relied on Nicky Vella Petroni and Luke Cesareo to find a way through but with scant success. At the other end, Għargħur were again denied by Gauci off a shot by Robert Southward.

The Saints started to impose their play after the restart and were soon two goals up thanks to an Anatole Debono brace, his second from a penalty.

On 64 minutes, Nicky Vella Petroni made it 3-0 with Għargħur scoring a consolation goal nine minutes later when Andre Azzopardi beat reserve keeper Alexei Cauchi from a free-kick.

Andrew Amato restored the Saints' three-goal lead 12 minutes from time to round up a fine day for his team.

St Andrew's:
R. Gauci (A. Cauchi), N. Chetcuti, P. Briscoe White, A. Camilleri Kamsky, J. Bugeja, A. Amato, W. Camilleri (M. Valenzia), A. Debono, L. Cesareo (K. Galea), M. Calleja, N. Vella Petroni.

Għargħur:
F. Scicluna, J. Galea, D. Galea, R. Debattista, C. Farrugia, D. Mamo (R. Cassar, C.Muscat), C. Zammit, R. Azzopardi, R. Southward (F. Grech), D. Cremona, A. Azzopardi.

Referee: Paul Apap.

Birżebbuġa St Peter's 1
Żurrieq 0

Birżebbuġa completed their league commitments with a 1-0 victory over Żurrieq courtesy of a Ronnie Celeste last-gasp goal.

The Reds had an early Steve Azzopardi shot going just wide off the far post. On 15 minutes Charlo Mamo profited from an indecision inside the Birżebbuġa half but fired wide after bursting through.

Birżebbuġa then thought they had forged ahead but a Celeste goal was disallowed for offside.

Early in the second half, Celeste fired just wide and on 55 minutes the Birżebbuġa forward was denied by Julian Azzopardi.

Eleven minutes from time Camenzuli was again denied by Azzopardi as the match looked heading to a goalless draw.

However, two minutes into stoppage time Celeste rammed home the winner from a Clive Formosa centre.

Birżebbuġa:
A. Ellul, C. Formosa, D. Baldacchino, B. Farrugia, R. Adami (A. Dominicus), N. Tabone, A. Mangion, F. Peplow (B. Darmanin), K. Muscat (A. Buttigieg), R. Celeste, C. Camenzuli.

Żurrieq:
J. Azzopardi, K. Sacco, D. Bellizzi, A. Barbara, C. Gatt (D. Mula), D. Bonnici, J. Saliba, C. Mamo, V. Zerafa (D. Zammit), T. Cachia, S. Azzopardi (N. Abdilla).

Referee: Mario Apap.

Gżira United 3
Żebbuġ Rangers 3

Gżira failed to beat Żebbuġ which meant St Andrew's got promoted before their match against Għargħur.

Gżira surged forward in attack but on 18 minutes Żebbuġ were awarded a penalty for a foul on Omar Rababah with Gilbert Scerri duly converting from the spot.

The Maroons' reaction produced an equaliser soon after the half-hour mark. It was Joseph Gatt who scored with a low shot after his first effort had been parried by Pace.

Two minutes later Gżira striker Richard Attard was fouled inside the box by Silvan Privitelli when about to shoot at goal. The Rangers' defender was shown a straight red card and captain Keith Bonello made no mistake from the penalty.

The Maroons never made their numerical superiority count though and it was no surprise that Rangers drew level through Mark Deguara, and then took a 3-2 lead following another Scerri goal.

But, at least, Gżira did finish on a positive note when Alessandro Pirrone made it three-all from another penalty which led to Keith Farrugia being dismissed, leaving Rangers with nine men.

Gżira:
R. Debattista, A. White, H. Gatt Bonello (S. Sammut), J. Tabone, N. Gatt Coleiro, K. Bonello (G. Mizzi), J. Felice, M. Sultana, J. Gatt, N. Corito (A. Pirrone), R. Attard.

Żebbuġ:
M. Pace, S. Calleja, K. Farrugia, J. Cilia, J. Fenech (P. Ciantar), S. Privitelli, O. Rababah (C. Borg), J. Mercieca, M. Deguara (B. Chetcuti), J. Galea, G. Scerri.

Referee:
Glenn Tonna.

Senglea Athletic 2
Gozo FC 0

Senglea had to sweat to beat Gozo and make sure of their status for another year, condemning Sta Venera to the play-offs at the same time.

The Gozitans dictated the run of play for most of the first half and keeper George Attard was alert to thwart the efforts of the visitors on more than one occasion.

After the break, however, Senglea seized the initiative, piling the pressure on Courtney Mercieca's goal with a series of efforts mainly through Josef Buttigieg, Bjorn Dalli and Timmy Thomas.

Seven minutes from time Thomas finally broke the deadlock after beating Mercieca with a low angled shot.

Deep into stoppage time, Senglea made sure with an Andrew Sciortino goal from close in.

Senglea:
G. Attard, C. Borg, B. Zerafa, E. Azzopardi, A. Sciortino, J. Buttigieg, D. Cosaitis, J. Gatt (F. Dingli), T. Thomas, N. Abela, B. Dalli (K. Galea).

Gozo:
C. Mercieca, F. Apap, P.P. Buttigieg, E. Hussein, L. Camilleri, C. Bugeja, M. Bezzina, J. Buttigieg, M. Portelli, D. Mercieca, J. Vella.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.

Rabat Ajax 7
Sta Venera 0

Rabat Ajax rounded up their calendar on a high to finish in a safe position in the standings after a long, hard battle to avoid the drop.

Justin Felice opened the score early on but had to wait until the 44th minute to add to their lead when Sacha Cortis placed the ball past Cuschieri.

The Sta Venera keeper did well to keep out shots by Felice and Chris Schembri soon after the changeover but then the floodgates opened with the Magpies scoring five more goals for a comfortable victory.

Dylan Falzon, Josef Tonna, Adam Smier, Neil Farrugia and a David Azzopardi penalty made Rabat's victory more pronounced as the Saints will now figure in the play-offs for a slot in Division Two next season.

Rabat:
J. Azzopardi, C. Schembri (N. Farrugia), J. Tonna, J. Caruana (K. Said), J. Felice, S. Cortis (L. Portelli), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, M. Micallef, K. Cassar, D. Azzopardi.

Sta Venera:
W. Cuschieri, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, D. Vella, L. Farrugia, M. Grech (G. Falzon), K. Cilia (A. Hili), A. Ellul, K. Vella, E. Polidano, A. Camilleri (N. Veselji).

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.