Rabat Ajax 0
Żejtun Corinthians 0
This match between leaders Żejtun and promotion chasers Rabat ended all-square with both teams finding it extremely hard to play any constructive football.
Referee Sammy Attard felt ill at half-time and had to be substituted for the second period.
The first half belonged to the Magpies. They had the wind blowing behind their backs and pressed forward for long stretches.
Rabat were twice very close through Joseph Caruana and Adam Smeir and striker Emeka Basil Onuta hit badly following a square pass by Ryan Micallef.
An Adam Smeir free-kick ended just wide and Onuta headed over as Rabat held the initiative.
Gradually Żejtun came more into the picture but Rabat were again close just before the interval through attempts by Chris Muscat and Yessous Camilleri.
The Magpies were denied by the Żejtun keeper off a Micallef shot on 55 minutes with the Corinthians finally hitting back through Oldi Majtara and Edward Azzopardi.
Żejtun were dangerous again from an Azzopardi free-kick and Rabat responded with efforts from Onuta and Camilleri. The latter was unlucky ten minutes from time when his shot was blocked on the goal line.
Rabat: J. Azzopardi, C. Schembri, J. Tonna, J. Caruana, Y. Camilleri, A. Smeir (E. Muscat), D. Falzon, C. Muscat, R. Micallef (A. Mifsud), D. Azzopardi (W. Borg), E. Basil Onuta.
Żejtun: R. Farrugia, J. Cachia, K. Vassallo, E. Azzopardi, C. Magro, J. Abela, S. Sciberras (H. Schembri), K. Abela, A. Mercieca (V. Camilleri), A. Carabott, O. Majtara (C. Formosa).
Referees: S. Attard/J. Utulu.
Mellieħa 2
Senglea Athletic 2
A late Simon Aquilina goal earned Senglea a crucial point against Mellieħa who dictated the run of play early on. After five minutes they were denied by George Attard off a Nikolay Filipov free-kick.
Mellieħa were again close through Kevin Gauci and Philip Taylor. On 22 minutes the Senglea keeper made a fine save off a shot by Connor Muchmore who delivered a perfect cross on 33 minutes for Filipov to open the score.
After the break, Senglea did most of the attacking but found goalkeeper Simon Gauci in fine form.
Ricardo Severino thought he had scored the equaliser but his goal was disallowed for offside. Senglea duly drew level six minutes from time following an Aquilina free-kick.
Mellieħa regained the lead when a pass by Filipov was finished off by substitute Joseph Vella. However, deep into stoppage time Aquilina headed in a second equaliser.
Joseph Vella (Mellieħa) and Julian Spiteri (Senglea) were dismissed after coming to blows and at the final whistle, another Mellieħa player, Philip Taylor, was also sent off for back chat.
Mellieħa: S. Gauci, L. Cauchi, M. Vella, P. Taylor, N. Filipov, K. Gauci, A. Portelli, P. Camilleri (R. Filipov), K. Simiana, C. Muchmore (J. Vella), D. Cremona (I. Sammut).
Senglea: G. Attard, G. Magri, R. Tanti, J. Spiteri, T. Thomas (R. Degiorgio), S. Aquilina, G. Tanti, R. Adami, R. Severino, K. Galea, G. Brincat.
Referee: Paul Apap.
Birżebbuġa SP 2
Żebbuġ Rangers 1
Birżebbuġa enhanced their promotion chances as they beat a much improved Żebbuġ team.
Rangers started aggressively and a Timmy Thomas shot was saved by Gabriel Mansueto. Thomas hit wide from a good position and on 14 minutes a point-blank effort by Roderick Spiteri was somehow stopped by the Birżebbuġa keeper.
A Ronnie Celeste lob was cleared off the line by Fiteni with Rangers then having efforts by Haruna Doda and Thomas going wide.
Anton Florin was close for the Saints and so Denis Baldacchino. However, just before the break Celeste was more accurate with a shot that flew into the net.
Birżebbuġa doubled their lead on 56 minutes when a bad clearance fell into the path of Matthew Borg who rammed home from close in.
Żebbuġ hit back and their efforts were rewarded five minutes from time with a Thomas goal.
In a frantic finale, Jeremy Agius released Thomas in the box but his shot was kept out by Mansueto.
Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, M. Pullicino (B. Farrugia), D. Baldacchino, N. Galea, C. Formosa, M. Ellul (K. Muscat), N. Tabone (F. Peplow), M. Borg, R. Celeste, A. Florin, S. Privitelli.
Żebbuġ: J. Vella, M. Farrugia, V. Fiteni, J. Mercieca, H. Doda, R. Spiteri, E. Cachia (G. Mallia), J. Agius, M. Ferreira Leixas, T. Thomas, G. Saliba.
Referee: Andrew James Sammut.
Żurrieq 2
St Patrick 0
Edmondo Romagnoli’s Żurrieq returned home with three useful points in their bags after beating promotion hopefuls St Patrick.
St Patrick almost took an early lead but Gordon Failla’s header was stopped by Reuben Debono. Five minutes later the Saints missed an open opportunity through Anthony Portelli and then Glen Barry shot just high over the Reds’ bar.
In a Żurrieq attack, Dimech almost committed an own-goal and just before the break Portelli failed to score from a favourable position.
St Patrick looked more adventurous in the second half. But it was the Reds who opened the score midway through the half when Azzopardi headed in from a cross by Matthew Genuis.
The Saints moved forward in search of an equaliser but from another counter-attack, Alistair Camilleri made it 2-0 following some good work by Azzopardi.
Żurrieq: R. Debono, K. Sacco, O. Grech (D. Bellizzi), A. Barbara, J. Lia, M. Genuis, R. Attard, S. Azzopardi, A. Camilleri, Joh. Briffa (C. Shumba), Jos. Briffa (J. Zerafa).
St Patrick: J. Galea, S. Dimech, G. Failla, M. Xerri, G. Barry (D. Pace), S. Zerafa, D. Mamo (I. Scicluna), J. Farrugia, A. Portelli (R. Cassar), D. Micallef, D. Gauci.
Referee: Roberto Vella.