White Hart 1
Young Stars 1

This game finished with honours even but both teams might have added to their tally had the two goalkeepers not pulled off some fine saves in the second half.

White Hart started brightly, winning two penalty corners in the sixth minute but to no avail.

Young Stars were looking to keep in touch with Qormi at the top of the standings. They soon settled down but midfield play dominated the rest of the first half with both teams winning further penalty corners but being unable to break the deadlock.

Then, on the stroke of half-time, White Hart were awarded a penalty stroke and Kyle Micallef scored to put them 1-0 ahead.

Young Stars spent most of the second half applying pressure on the White Hart rearguard but in turn exposed themselves to counter-attacks. In fact, in the 46th minute Young Stars goalkeeper Waylin Abdilla effected a double save to keep his goal intact.

A minute later Young Stars were awarded a penalty stroke but Edward Hughes shot well over the bar.

White Hart’s counter-attacks were proving troublesome and in the 53rd minute the Young Stars custodian was again forced to dive and parry a shot travelling towards the top corner of his net.

After another period of Young Stars’ pressure, Jonathan Ellul equalised in the 61st minute following a melee inside the D.

Not to be outdone White Hart goalkeeper Robert Vassallo Agius executed two first class saves in the final minutes of the game as Young Stars won four penalty corners in a bid to break the deadlock.

Umpires: John Williams, Manuel Imbroll.

Sliema Hotsticks 3
Rabat 2

All goals in this match were scored after the break but this did not mean that the opening half was starved of goalmouth action.

In fact, after Sliema Hotsticks had won a penalty corner in the third minute, Rabat were awarded five of their own in as many minutes but could not breach their opponents’ solid defence.

After a period of balanced play mid-way through the half, with defences clearly on top, Sliema Hotsticks won three penalty corners but Rabat’s defence stood firm and half-time was reached with the game still goalless.

Hotsticks went ahead in the 38th minute when Steve Portelli netted and four minutes later, after Hotsticks were awarded a penalty stroke, Portelli scored his second to put his side two up.

Rabat reacted strongly and Ryan Brincat reduced the arrears.

As a result of a penalty corner action in the 56th minute, Brincat bagged his second when he deflected a shot into the net to equalise for Rabat.

Both teams strove to score the winner but the game swayed Hotsticks’ way when during a melee in the D, Keith Scicluna pushed the ball over the line for a 3-2 lead which they held to the end.

Umpires: Paul Brincat, Andre Ghio.

League standings
Qormi 11; Young Stars 10; Sliema Hotsticks 7; White Hart 5; Rabat 5.