Rabat Ajax 0
Mellieħa 1

Mellieħa retained their first position in the standings after beating close rivals Rabat Ajax. Connor Muchmore scored the goal that mattered but Mellieħa also owe the points to goalkeeper Simon Gauci who had an outstanding match.

Rabat had the first shots at goal through Joseph Caruana and Basil Emeka Onuta, both stopped by Gauci. Mellieħa went close through a Philip Camilleri free-kick and a minute later Muchmore beat the Rabat keeper from the distance.

Rabat hit back through Adam Smeir whose shot was saved by Gauci but it was Mellieħa who almost doubled their lead on 27 minutes when Nikolay Filipov’s drive just missed the target.

Gauci did well to keep out attempts by Smeir and Onuta as Fabiano Bassi was a whisker away from beating Azzopardi just before half-time.

Two players were red-carded as the second half got underway – Mellieħa’s Daniel Cremona and Rabat’s Christian Muscat.

Muchmore almost scored again on 54 minutes and team-mate Filipov’s shot was saved by Azzopardi.

Rabat increased the pressure and on two occasions were denied by Gauci off attempts by David Azzopardi and Onuta. A Filipov free-kick ended just high over the Rabat bar and in the closing minutes Gauci was again the protagonist with superb saves off shots by Onuta and Justin Felice.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, Y. Camilleri, J. Felice, A. Smeir, W. Borg (C. Schembri), C. Muscat, E. Muscat, D. Azzopardi, B.E. Onuta.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, I. Sammut, A. Portelli, L. Cauchi, M. Vella, K. Gauci, N. Filipov, P. Camilleri (K. Simiana), C. Muchmore (R. Filipov), F. Bassi (J. Vella), D. Cremona.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Żejtun Corinthians 4
St Patrick 0

Kenneth Abela spurred Żejtun Corinthians to a resounding win over St Patrick as the nippy striker hit a hat-trick in a match that saw the Saints faltering badly after having defender Clint Farrugia sent off early in the second half.

Żejtun did the attacking throughout the early stages and early on they were twice denied by Saints keeper Joshua Galea off shots by Adrian Carabott.

On another occasion, an overhead kick by Silvio Sciberras finished high over the Saints goal.

Galea was again on hand on 33 minutes to stop a Charlo Magro volley and a minute later St Patrick went close through Alex Ellul.

Żejtun opened the score on 56 minutes when Abela headed in from an Edward Azzopardi corner.

Farrugia was then sent off for a second caution and Żejtun were finding it more easy to find spaces inside the opponents’ half.

After a couple of missed chances, the Corinthians increased their lead thanks to another Abela goal and on 80 minutes Sciberras concluded a solo run with an angled shot to make it 3-0.

Abela notched his hat-trick a minute from time after a perfect ball from team-mate Carmel Formosa.

Żejtun: R. Farrugia, R. Cauchi (C. Formosa), H. Schembri, D. Cosaitis (D. Vella), E. Azzopardi, C. Magro, J. Abela (V. Camilleri), S. Sciberras, A. Carabott, J. Cachia, K. Abela.

St Patrick: J. Galea, S. Dimech, C. Farrugia, I. Scicluna (D. Pace), D. Gauci, G. Barry, S. Zerafa (A. Portelli), G. Failla, M. Xerri, J. Farrugia (D. Micallef), A. Ellul.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Żebbuġ Rangers 2
Naxxar Lions 3

There was a dramatic finale to this match as Naxxar turned defeat into victory with two late goals scored by Glenn Magri and Victor Bellia.

Naxxar broke the deadlock after just four minutes through an excellent shot by Gilbert Camilleri from a free-kick.

Andre Rocha da Silva hit just wide and on 13 minutes a Bellia shot was saved by Jonathan Vella as the Lions held the initiative.

Rangers lifted their game and went close with a Doda free-kick. Mark Deguara also tried his luck for Żebbuġ who went in for the break on level terms following a Clint Caruana goal just before half-time.

Balance prevailed after the break but on 62 minutes Żebbuġ took the lead through a penalty awarded for a foul by the Naxxar keeper on Deguara. Gilbert Scerri duly converted from the spot.

Naxxar’s reaction was immediate but had to wait until 90 minutes to draw level with a Magri lob.

Then, three minutes into stoppage time, Naxxar struck again, this time through Bellia whose grounder beat the keeper hands down.

Żebbuġ: J. Vella (M. Pace), M. Farrugia, V. Fiteni (E. Calleja), J. Mercieca, G. Saliba, C. Caruana, H. Doda, R. Spiteri (J. Agius), E. Cachia, G. Scerri, M. Deguara.

Naxxar: K. Agius, J. Agius (J. Debono), K. Fenech, M. Spiteri Gonzi (G. Magri), G. Camilleri, M. Del Negro (J. Zammit), A. Rocha Da Silva, D. Falzon, V. Bellia, D. Cauchi, A. Fenech.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Birżebbuġa SP 6
Żurrieq 1

Striker Carlos Camenzuli was the main protagonist in this handsome win for promotion-seekers Bir-żebbuġa as he put his team on their way to victory with a first-half hat-trick.

The Reds looked the more enterprising side early on but Birżebbuġa soon settled down and took the lead on 20 minutes when Camenzuli hit home from an angle.

Four minutes later Camenzuli made it 2-0 following a fine solo move with Żurrieq being denied by Shaun Cardona off a Johan Briffa free-kick. Six minutes before the break Camenzuli notched his hat-trick after being put through by Matthew Borg.

Żurrieq were unlucky as a shot by Joseph Lia hit the post but Borg scored twice in quick succession to make it 5-0.

The Reds were finally on the mark thanks to a 65th-minute Alistair Camilleri goal. However, the Saints had the last say when Ronnie Celeste made it 6-1 late on.

Birżebbuġa: S. Cardona, M. Ellul, N. Galea, M. Pullicino, C. Formosa, A. Florin (B. Farrugia), F. Peplow, N. Tabone, P. Camilleri (K. Muscat), C. Camenzuli (R. Celeste), M. Borg.

Żurrieq: J. Bugeja, D. Bonnici, J. Lia, N. Abdilla, J. Camilleri, D. Bellizzi, K. Grech, Jos. Briffa, Joh. Briffa, M. Genuis, A. Camilleri.

Referee: Duncan Sultana.