Fine wins for Qormi and Young Stars in Challenge Cup

Qormi 4
Sliema Hotsticks 1

Early Qormi pressure followed by an exchange of penalty corner activity produced no dividend for either team in this early-season Challenge Cup match at the Corradino Hockey Complex.

However, in the 20th minute Qormi went ahead through John Williams following a crisp move.

Sliema Hotsticks hit back immediately and in the 23rd minute Silas Plaehn made it one-all as the game suddenly sprung into life.

Williams scored his and Qormi’s second goal three minutes later when the Hotsticks defence was caught out by a short counter attack.

The second half was void of further exciting moments also due to the effect of the inclement weather, but Qormi controlled proceedings by hanging back and using counter attacks to deadly effect.

This produced a third goal through Jonathan Borg and that was followed up by a fourth scored by veteran Rudolph Camilleri on 65 minutes.

Umpires: Reno Cremona, Alain Vella.

Rabat Depiro 1
Young Stars 3

Rabat Depiro exerted early pressure and were looking pretty comfortable for the first 20 minutes of the game played in very difficult conditions due to heavy rain.

But Young Stars forced two penalty corners midway through the first half and took the lead on 33 minutes through Marvin Vella after a lapse by the Rabat defence.

Rabat did most of the attacking early in the second half, forcing two penalty corners. But after a period of sustained pressure, it was Young Stars who doubled their lead with a Chris Bonello goal on 59 minutes.

Chris Attard then put Young Stars further ahead to make it 3-0.

At this point, it was game over although Rabat did manage to pull one back through Thomas Sammut before the final whistle.

Umpires: Paul Brincat, Manwel Imbroll.