Żejtun Corinthians 3
Birżebbuġa St Peter’s 1

Żejtun Corinthians restored their four-point lead at the top of the standings after they eased past Birżebbuġa despite playing for long stretches with ten men following the dismissal of defender Darren Vella.

Żejtun were soon on the offensive and came close early on through Silvio Sciberras and Amadeo Mercieca.

On the half hour, Ronnie Celeste looked odds on to score for Birżebbuġa when he was brought down in the area by Vella and a penalty was given. Vella was shown the red card but from the spot Matthew Borg fired wide.

Żejtun regrouped and took a double lead before half-time.

On 36 minutes Kenneth Abela headed home from a free-kick and six minutes later Mercieca made it 2-0 with an angled shot.

Birżebbuġa came out firing on all pistons as the second half got underway and pulled a goal back through Celeste who headed home after a good move between Neville Galea and Borg.

The Saints continued to press forward but it was Żejtun who struck again in stoppage time when Adrian Carabott beat Gabriel Mansueto with a calibrated shot.

Żejtun: R. Farrugia, E. Azzopardi, R. Cauchi, J. Abela, D. Vella, V. Camilleri, C. Magro, A. Carabott, S. Sciberras (H. Schembri), A. Mercieca (O. Majtara), K. Abela (K.Vassallo).

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

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

San Ġwann 0
Naxxar Lions 0

San Ġwann followed up their win over Mġarr with another fine performance against promotion contenders Naxxar.

The Saints were close early on through two Lee Galea efforts with Naxxar’s first shot on goal coming from Gabriel Zanini Duarte.

Darren Falzon broke away on the left flank but his grounder was saved by Saints keeper Justin Spiteri.

The rhythm did not change much after the break, San Ġwann procuring the best opportunities as a shot by Mauro Busuttil ended just wide before Cacciattolo rattled the Lions’ bar.

In the end, no team could find a breakthrough despite the commitment shown from both sides.

San Ġwann: J. Spiteri, K. Vella (J. Gauci), F. Cauchi, G. Agius, M. Francica, M. Caruana (M. Busuttil), L. Galea, S. Vella, J. Chidi Achokwu (D. Galea), A. Borg, C. Cacciattolo.

Naxxar: J. Azzopardi, K. Fenech, M. Spiteri Gonzi, G. Camilleri, K. Drago, G. Zanini Duarte, C. Pace, V. Bellia, D. Falzon, J. Debono, D. Cauchi.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Senglea Athletic 2
Gżira United 2

This result does not satisfy any of the two teams who wasted another opportunity to get closer to those challenging for promotion.

Gżira opened the score on 25 minutes as they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Senglea defender Gareth Magri on Alessandro Pirrone with Roberto Brincat duly converting from the spot.

Senglea started gaining in momentum but they had to wait until the 62nd minute to draw level thanks to a goal from Ricardo Severino after Gerada had failed to hold a Glenn Tanti free-kick.

Senglea continued to push forward but on 72 minutes Gżira regained the lead through another penalty, given for a foul on Pirrone and again scored by Brincat.

However, ten minutes from time Senglea levelled matters once again when Robert Adami hit home from a free-kick.

Senglea: G. Attard, G. Magri (C. Borg), T. Thomas, B. Zerafa, R. Tanti, R. Adami, S. Aquilina, G. Tanti, K. Galea, R. Severino, G. Brincat (A. Spiteri).

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

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Mġarr United 0
Rabat Ajax 1

Rabat Ajax were made to fight hard to get the three points from bottom team Mġarr. The Magpies scored the winner three minutes from time.

Rabat started on attack in their bid to find an early breakthrough. However, they found goalkeeper Claude Carbonaro in fine form to stop the shots from David Azzopardi and Chris Schembri.

Rabat had a Christian Muscat free-kick that finished just wide and a Chris Abela attempt at the other end was deflected to a corner before an Ibrahim Tarek free-kick hit the Rabat crossbar. From the rebound, Chris Sant was denied by the woodwork.

Smeir almost unlocked Mġarr’s defence on 68 minutes after a fine solo move and a William Borg free-kick fell a whisker away from the desired target.

Mġarr could have scored a winner four minutes from time but a shot by Stephen Camilleri was cleared off the line by Yan Cauchi.

Cauchi was then behind the action that led to Rabat’s winning goal. He delivered a perfect cross to Smeir who hit home from close in.

Mġarr: C. Carbonaro, J. Ebejer, W. Buttigieg, M. Bugeja, I. Bilocca, C. Sant (R. Marmara), I. Cutajar, I. Tarek, J. Borg (S. Camilleri), C. Abela, C. Tabone (G. Theuma).

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, C. Schembri (W. Borg), J. Tonna, J. Caruana, Y. Camilleri, A. Smeir, D. Falzon, C. Muscat, Y. Cauchi (E. Muscat), R. Micallef (J. Felice), D. Azzopardi.

Referee: Mohammed Khalil.

St Patrick 0
Mellieħa 1

A goal scored by young Connor Muchmore deep into added time earned Mellieħa a precious win over St Patrick as they have now moved closer to promotion.

Mellieħa went close after three minutes through a Philip Camilleri free-kick, which was saved by Joshua Galea, and then Alex Portelli just missed the Saints’ goal with a powerful shot.

Mellieħa seized the initiative after the break. Brazilian Bassi was three times through on goal but to no avail as the Saints held tight.

Nikolay Filipov released Cremona ten minutes from time but he shot straight into the keeper and another Mellieha chance was lost.

Then, when all seemed that the Saints had succeeded in preserving a clean sheet, Mellieħa scored a dramatic winning goal thanks to substitute Muchmore.

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

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

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Żebbuġ Rangers 1
Żurrieq 1

Żebbuġ and Żurrieq took a point each after a balanced encounter on Monday.

Żebbuġ created the better chances early on through Timmy Thomas and George Saliba while at the other end Johan Briffa’s drive was well blocked by Jonathan Vella.

On 30 minutes Steve Azzopardi’s shot hit the bar while just before the break Roderick Spiteri missed a sitter for Żebbuġ.

The stalemate was finally broken on the hour when Saliba fired a firm shot from the distance that surprised goalkeeper Reuben Debono.

However, the battling Reds drew level on 77 minutes when Azzopardi hit home from an angle.

Żebbuġ: J. Vella, G. Saliba, G. Mallia, J. Mercieca, M. Farrugia, R. Spiteri, H. Doda, M. Leixas Ferreira (M. Deguara), T. Thomas, V. Fiteni, J. Agius.

Żurrieq: R. Debono, A. Barbara, J. Lia, D. Bellizzi, K. Sacco, M. Genuis, R. Attard, Jos. Briffa, Joh. Briffa (C. Shumba), S. Azzopardi, W. Kiomall (K. Grech).

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.