St Patrick 1
St Andrews 2

St Andrews made it 10 points from their last four games as they found little difficulty in disposing of bottom team St Patrick, yesterday.

St Patrick started the better team but as time went by Wayne Attard’s side started coming more into the picture as they had Gustavo Ribeiro showing his true class with some neat touches and fine ball control.

St Patrick, still without a coach after Alfred Attard’s departure, could taken an early lead when Bertrand Engoudou headed goalwards a Jurgen Farrugia cross. Keeper Daniel Balzan was unable to hold and as the ball looked to roll in Ben Diacono cleared upfield to safety.

St Andrews soon got to grips with the situation and missed a glorious opportunity to forge ahead when Ribeiro lobbed the ball just wide following an inviting Arafa Nakuaa pass.

But on 33 minutes, St Andrew’s took the lead. A Nakuaa’s free-kick hit the St Patrick wall, the ball rolled into the path of Brian Said whose shot from inside the box finished at the back of the net.

St Patrick were jaded and the score became 2-0 just before half-time when Malcolm Vella tripped Ribeiro in the box and a penalty was given.

Nicki Vella Petroni hit home with relative ease.

St Andrews continued to run the show in the second half and on 50 minutes a Ribeiro header, following an Andrew Amato free-kick, finished just wide.

Jonathan Grech pulled a superb save off Ribeiro but the St Patrick goalkeeper was lucky not to concede a soft goal eight minutes from time when letting Faisal Anakua’s shot squirm from his grasp.

St Patrick were dropped a life-line on 84 minutes when En-goudou headed home an Alex Ellul centre from the left flank.

In stoppage time, Randall Cassar tried his luck from the edge of the area for St Patrick but the shot fell out of range.

St Patrick: J. Grech, S.E. Grech, J. Farrugia, A. Galea, M. Vella, M. Onuorah, I. Scicluna (S. Agius), S. Dimech (R. Cassar), B. Glockaj (C. Camilleri), A. Ellul, B. Engoudou.

St Andrews: D. Balzan, N. Chetcuti, B. Diacono, B. Said, J. Bugeja, A. Camilleri Kamsky, A. Amato (R. Previ), A. Nakuaa, F. Anakua, N. Vella Petroni (M. Grima), G. Ribeiro (M. Calleja).

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Gustavo Ribeiro (St Andrews).

Vittoriosa Stars 0
Dingli Swallows 1

Dingli’s Leontiev Konda scored a gem of a goal 16 minutes from time to apply more misery on Vittoriosa Stars, a side that had started the season as favourites for promotion.

Konda and new boy Carlos Porcari were a joy to watch yesterday, combing well to put pressure on their opponents’ defence.

No.2 Stefano Grima was on the Stars’ bench as coach Joe Brincat is suspended and he had keeper Ivan Cassar to thank for the Stars not to concede a heavier defeat.

Vittoriosa started the match looking to score an early goal with some fine running from the flanks.

Adam Spiteri long-range effort just missed the target and Marcelo Pereira was also close with a shot from inside the Dingli box.

Although the Swallows were playing the better football with some neat passing, it was tough for them to find openings inside the Vittoriosa half with the side from Cottonera still having a go at the other end. On 16 minutes a Roberto Brincat shot again missed the target by a whisker.

But Borislav Giorev’s men soon started to venture forward more often. On 20 minutes new signing Porcari was thwarted by Cassar who blocked well after a perfect Konda pass.

Eight minutes later the two again combined well together with Porcari seeing his shot stopped by the agile Vittoriosa goalkeeper.

On 29 minutes it was Porcari, again, who evaded a few tackles before hitting a powerful shot that was stopped by Cassar. Both sides did their utmost to break the deadlock before half-time but to no avail.

On the hour, Cassar failed to hold following a Konda effort but, luckily for him, the shot went wide.

On 64 minutes, the Stars no.1 made amends when he turned to a corner a Konda bombshell and then did well to keep out a Porcari header. On 74 minutes, however, the Vittoriosa keeper was beaten.

Porcari spotted Konda running from the blind side into the box and, from his perfect delivery, the Bulgarian controlled the ball with his right foot and struck with his left for a superb strike.

Vittoriosa: I. Cassar, J. Camilleri, S. Tellus (M. Grioli), M. Barbara, M. Pereira, L. Scerri, A. Spiteri, J. Dalli, M. Buttigieg, R. Brincat (D. Pace), I. Kurtusic.

Dingli: J. Farrugia, F. Owusu, K. Pace, A. Portelli, L. Konda, K. Formosa, E. Farrugia, C. Porcari (R. Ceka), R. Vella, R. Briffa, C. Azzopardi (J. Sapiano).

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Man of the match: Leontiev Konda (Dingli Swallows).