Naxxar Lions 2
Mellieħa 0

Two second-half goals scored by Darren Falzon earned Naxxar an important win against fellow promotion contenders Mellieħa. The Lions have now joined the Northerners in second place on 25 points.

Naxxar threatened after ten minutes when Gilbert Camilleri’s shot was blocked by Simon Gauci and the keeper was again alert to keep out an effort from Falzon.

Mellieħa’s first real chance arrived on 28 minutes when Nikolay Filipov failed to hit the target while an angled shot by Philip Camilleri was saved by Julian Azzopardi.

After the change of ends, it was Naxxar who took the lead on 54 minutes when Falzon lobbed the ball home.

Mellieħa came back strongly and Azzopardi palmed away successive efforts from Philip Taylor.

At the other end, substitute Andre Rocha da Silva went close but his effort just missed the target.

Six minutes from time, the Lions wrapped up the points when Falzon hit a rising shot that gave Gauci no chance.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, A. Fenech, M. Spiteri Gonzi, K. Fenech (J. Agius), V. Bellia, R. Schembri, G. Camilleri (A. Rocha da Silva), B. Duarte (J. Zammit), K. Farrugia, D. Falzon, D. Cauchi.

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

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Mġarr United 0
Żejtun Corinthians 1

An Amadeo Mercieca goal five minutes from time earned leaders Żejtun Corinthians a hard-fought victory over bottom side Mġarr.

Mġarr, guided by new coach Vesko Petrovic, came close early on through Johan Said and on 11 minutes Ibrahim Tarek’s cross-shot just missed the target.

Żejtun almost took the lead a minute later when Kenneth Abela’s close-range header was somehow kept out by the Mġarr keeper.

On the half-hour, Charlò Magro’s fierce drive just finished over and two minutes before the break Carmel Formosa headed just wide.

After the break, Tarek twice came close to putting Mġarr ahead while on 59 minutes Abela had the ball in the opponents’ net but the ‘goal’ was annulled for offside.

Three minutes later it was Mġarr who were denied a certain goal as a point-blank effort by Chris Abela was saved by Ranier Farrugia.

As the match looked heading to a goalless draw, Żejtun struck the winner five minutes from time when substitute Mercieca planted the ball home from close in.

Mġarr: C. Carbonaro, W. Buttigieg, W. Camilleri, M. Bugeja, I. Bilocca, J. Said (C. Sant), V. Martinovic, J. Borg, I. Cutajar (E. Grech), I. Tarek (M. Muscat), C. Abela.

Żejtun: R. Farrugia, J. Cachia, D. Vella, E. Azzopardi, K. Vassallo, J. Abela, C. Magro, S. Sciberras (V. Camilleri), A. Carabott (A. Mercieca), C. Formosa (A. Portelli), K. Abela.

Referee: Roberto Vella.

San Ġwann 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 1

An injury-time goal scored by Mauro Busuttil saw San Ġwann clinching a deserved point.

The Saints gained the initiative early on and Żebbuġ goalkeeper Jonathan Vella did well to keep out efforts from Mario Caruana and Christian Cacciattolo.

At the other end, Żebbuġ wasted a clear scoring opportunity through Timmy Thomas with San Ġwann coming back with efforts from Lee Galea and Mario Caruana.

The stalemate was broken on 41 minutes when Clint Caruana scored for Rangers with a fierce drive.

Stung by this setback, the Saints pushed forward and on 68 minutes they were close through Busuttil.

Their efforts were only rewarded in time added on when Busuttil made it 1-1 with a fine shot.

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri, K. Vella, F. Cauchi, M. Mercieca (P. Xuereb), M. Francica, M. Caruana, S. Vella (M. Busuttil), L. Galea, J. Chidi Achokwu, A. Borg, C. Cacciattolo.

Żebbuġ: J. Vella, M. Farrugia, C. Farrugia (V. Fiteni), J. Mercieca, C. Caruana, H. Doda, R. Spiteri (B. Chetcuti), E. Cachia (G. Saliba), J. Agius, M. Ferreira Leixas, T. Thomas.

Referee: Jude Utulu.

Żurrieq 0
Gżira United 3

Gżira needed two late goals to secure the three points against a battling Żurrieq side.

Gżira took the lead on 23 minutes when Cedric Sciberras headed home from a Josef Felice free-kick.

The Reds hit back strongly and twice came close to an equaliser through Johan Briffa and Josef Briffa.

Play remained balanced after the break with Żurrieq threatening on 47 minutes when Darren Bellizzi’s header was blocked by Kyle Gerada.

Fourteen minutes from time, Felice almost made it 2-0 but his shot just missed the target.

Gżira assured themselves of the points in the closing stages. A minute from time Richard Attard made it 2-0 from a Felice free-kick and in time added on Roberto Brincat fired the ball home.

Żurrieq: R. Debono, R. Attard, D. Bellizzi, K. Sacco, J. Lia, D. Sciberras (K. Grech), O. Grech (A. Barbara), S. Azzopardi (M. Genuis), A. Camilleri, Jos. Briffa, Joh. Briffa.

Gżira: K. Gerada, T. Micallef, A. White, C. Sciberras, N. Gatt Coleiro, M. Cocks, K. Bonello, J. Felice, R. Brincat, A. Pirrone (R. Attard), Y. Tonna (L. Cilia).

Referee: Paul Apap.

Rabat Ajax 0
St Patrick 0

This clash between two teams aspiring for promotion ended in a goalless draw.

Glenn Barry almost put the Saints ahead after ten minutes but his close-range shot was stopped by Jonathan Azzopardi. At the other end, Rabat were close on two occasions as efforts by Yan Cauchi and Adam Smeir just missed the target.

Late in the first half, Rabat were unlucky not to have taken the lead as a shot by Smeir was cleared off the line by a St Patrick defender.

On the restart, Rabat kept the upperhand and on 59 minutes St Patrick keeper Joshua Galea did well to keep out Christian Muscat’s shot.

The woodwork denied the Magpies on 63 minutes as a David Azzo-pardi shot came off the upright.

St Patrick were reduced to ten men when Scicluna was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

Eight minutes from time, Rabat had a good chance to net the winner when Smeir incredibly fired wide with only Galea to beat.

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, C. Schembri, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, A. Smeir, W. Borg, C. Muscat, Y. Cauchi, E. Muscat, D. Azzopardi, E. Basil Onuta.

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

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Birżebbuġa SP 2
Senglea Athletic 0

Birżebbuġa kept the pace with the other promotion contenders after they saw off Senglea on Monday.

Senglea threatened early on through Tyrone Thomas but gradually Birżebbuġa took control and on 17 minutes Carlos Camenzuli put them ahead.

The Cottonera side were close to an equaliser on the half hour when Brady Zerafa’s shot was well saved by Gabriel Mansueto.

However, three minutes from the break, Birżebbuġa struck again when Keith Muscat made it 2-0 with a firm drive.

After the break, Senglea increased their efforts to get back into the match but rarely threatened.

Birżebbuġa almost struck again on 53 minutes when Noel Tabone’s header hit the bar.

On 71 minutes Camenzuli again came close but his header was deviated to a corner.

Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, M. Ellul, C. Formosa, N. Galea, B. Farrugia, D. Baldacchino, P. Camilleri (A. Pilica), F. Peplow, N. Tabone, K. Muscat (R. Celeste), C. Camenzuli (M. Borg).

Senglea: G. Attard, G. Magri, E. Azzopardi (G. Brincat), J. Spiteri, R. Adami, S. Calleja, S. Aquilina, T. Thomas (G. Tanti), R. Severino (R. Degiorgio), A. Spiteri, B. Zerafa.

Referee: Sandro Spiteri.