Rabat 2
Qormi 2
Most of the early action was limited to exchanges in midfield.
Then, Rabat won a penalty corner and Ryan Brincat shot them ahead.
The league leaders, however, reacted strongly and four minutes later young Thomas Degiovanni equalised with a crisp finish.
Both teams probed each other’s defences but half-time was reached with the score remaining unaltered although Qormi and Rabat had won penalty corners but did not avail themselves of the opportunities afforded.
The second half continued in the same vein with defences on top and a period of balanced play when suddenly the game came to life.
On 51 minutes, Jonathan Micallef scored to put Rabat 2-1 ahead but a minute later Justin Bonello netted the equaliser for Qormi.
Both teams pressed hard for the winner. Rabat applied further pressure towards the end but the game ended with the teams sharing the spoils.
Next Sunday’s direct encounter between Qormi and Young Stars should go a long way towards deciding the championship with Qormi starting as favourites, needing only a point to succeed while Young Stars still have an outside chance with a game in hand.
Umpires: Luke Busuttil Leaver and Shawn Mifsud.
Sliema Hotsticks 1
White Hart 0
Sliema Hotsticks started this game strongly and enjoyed all the early pressure, also creating two good chances in the early minutes.
Kyle Micallef should have shot White Hart ahead but he spurned a clear goal-scoring chance. On 10 minutes, he hit a shot from an acute angle just past the post.
Both teams played neat cultured hockey in the heat and just before half-time Hotsticks nearly went ahead but were denied by Robert Vassallo Agius, the White Hart keeper.
The second half developed with Hotsticks, first, and then White Hart exerting periods of pressure but neither team could break the deadlock.
Hotsticks won three penalty corners to White Hart’s two and although the game provided exciting end-to-end stuff a draw seemed on the cards until Hotsticks were awarded a penalty corner in the last minute. Steve Portelli pushed the ball home to give his team the win.
Umpires: Reno Cremona and James Mizzi.
Standings
Qormi 18; Young Stars 14; Sliema Hotsticks 9; Rabat 6; White Hart 5.