Mellieħa leave it late to save the match

Mellieħa 1
Għargħur 1

Mellieha left it late to avoid defeat from their encounter against Għargħur to maintain their promotion hopes.

Despite the wintry conditions, Għargħur settled down nicely and dominated play for most of the 90 minutes.

The Reds had the better scoring opportunities and had it not been for the skill of goalkeeper Gauci, the tally on Għargħur’s side would have been higher.

With key players Thiago Loquete and Keith Fenech missing, Mellieħa seemed reluctant to venture forward but the first opportunity of the match came their way when Kyle Simiana centred for Wayne Buttigieg who was dispossessed before tapping the ball home.

Għargħur took the lead on the half-hour mark, Carl Azzopardi heading in a perfect Iro Curmi delivery inside the box.

Mellieħa were rocked and at pain to stave off Għargħur’s pressure. Their reaction came one minute before the break but Luke Cauchi’s long-distance drive was blocked to a corner.

Għargħur maintained tactical shape at the start of the second half and Chris Vella almost made it 2-0 but his powerful shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

The Reds were at it again in the 60th minute. Trayo Grozev burst through but his shot from an angle was punched away into a corner by Gauci.

Mellieħa came more into the picture in the latter stages of the match.

Buttigieg’s header was stopped by Zarb in style and Phil Taylor’s effort sailed slightly high over the crossbar.

When all looked as if Għargħur had done enough to clinch all three points, Mellieħa struck the equaliser.

On 85 minutes, Għargħur’s defence failed to clear and David Cauchi placed the ball in the corner of the net from a tight position.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, W. Buttigieg (W. Borg St John), M. Vella, P. Taylor, D. Cauchi, L. Cauchi, K. Gauci, G. Magri, W. Borg, K. Simiana (J. Vella), A. Aquilina (R. Perkins).

Għargħur: D. Zarb, L. Stivala, H. Gatt Bonello, R. Mifsud, R. Debattista, C. Azzopardi, S. Ilifv, I. Curmi (E. Lapira), C. Vella, B. Perry Acton, T. Grozev.

Referee: Glenn Tonna.

Summaries

Gudja United 3
Kirkop United 0

Gudja: M. Xerxen, E. Vella, G. Cutajar, M. Milutinovic, D. Agius, K. Bonello (A. Cutajar), E. Bugeja, I. Bilocca, W. Camenzuli, T. Thomas (D. Zammit), P. P. Sammut.

Kirkop: C. Francica, M. Pisani, M. Aquilina, A. Busuttil, P.P. Cassar, B. Falzon, B. Bugeja (M. Theuma), C. Farrugia, R. Spina, R. Kerekov, J. Gerada (D. Zammit).

Referee: Luke Portelli.

Scorers: Thomas 41; Camenzuli 81, 91.

San Ġwann 3
Żebbuġ Rangers 3

San Ġwann: C. Carbonaro, D. Cosaitis, K. Cassar (C. Pace), M. Francica, G. Agius (R. Sell), A. Borg, P. Xuereb, R. Attard, J. Borg, C. Cacciatolo (M. Mercieca), R. Zammit.

Żebbuġ: J. Mercieca, M. Brincat, G. Mallia (D. Agius), J. Mercieca, D. Caruana, R. Spiteri, M. Farrugia, A. Agius (J. Agius), S. Pereira da Mata, U. Anyanwu, M. Tirchett (J. Alegbe).

Referee: Karl Cumbo.

Scorers: Anyanwu 12; Pereira da Mata 34, 66 (Ż); Sell 57, 88; Pace 75 (SĠ).

Siġġiewi 1
Sta Venera 1

Siġġiewi: J. Vella, S. Delia, N. Galea, M. Bajada, D. Vella, M. Camilleri, J. Shead (E. Ciappara), B. Galea (K. Buhagiar), R. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, J. Vassallo (E. Bugeja).

Sta Venera: W. Cuschieri, J. Onouha, M. Muscat, S. Farrugia (D. Wingfield), E. Muscat, A. Hili, M. Grech, K. Cilia, R. Carbonaro, R. Borg, D. Mercieca.

Referee: Stefan Pace.

Scorers: Carbonaro 30 (SV); Farrugia 55 (SIĠ).

Luqa St Andrew’s 2
Senglea Athletics 4

Luqa: P. Psaila, A. Psaila, C. Caruana, C. Gatt (T. Cassar), F. Cauchi, G. Frendo (S. Gatt), J. Good, L. Bal-dacchino, M. Ciantar (J. Fenech), A. Abdilla, L. Vella.

Senglea: B. Bartolo, B. Zerafa, A. Sciortino, T. Thomas, R. Tanti, S. Calleja, D. Grech (O. Rababah), J. Buttigieg, R. Micallef, J. Emeka (R. Degiorgio), G. Brincat (K. Galea).

Referee: Andrew J. Sammut.

Scorers: Good 16 (L); Tanti 32 (S); Brincat 41, 52 (S); Emeka 66 (S); Baldacchino 70 (L).

Msida St Joseph 1
Attard 2

Msida: J. Agius, L. Cassar, O. Zammit, A. Pirrone, M. Borda, M. Clarke, M. Caruana, M. Pisani (P. Sakchai), J. Paiva (M. Curtis), R. Xuereb, F. De Andrade.

Attard: R. Ubberden, O. Tabone, D. Agius, A. Agius, D. Gauci, J.C. Cachia, A. Lanzon, R. Pilipov, K. Zahra, C. Farrugia, S. Mohammed.

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Scorers: Xuereb 20 (M); Zahra 40 (A), Pilipov 59 (A).

Red cards: Grech 36 (A), Borda 40 (M), Agius 90 (M).

Gżira United 2
Żurrieq 0

Gżira: K. Gerada, K. Cassar, T. Ewurum, Y. Tonna, T. Micallef, A. Galea (A. White), R.A. Goncalves Guilite, J. Hussey, S. Shead, M. Cocus (R. Deguara), K. Saliba (S. Gatt).

Żurrieq: K. Ellul, D. Bonnici, J. Lia (J. Fenech), V. Micallef, K. Sacco, Z. Vukovic, M. Genuis (A. Barbara), J. Briffa, N. Abdilla, A. Portelli (C. Caruana), A. Camilleri.

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Scorers: Ewurum 27; Shead 55.