Qormi 2
Young Stars 1

Qormi won this game by the odd goal in three, achieving their first victory over Young Stars this season after defeats in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup and the first round of the league.

The early stages were played at a fast pace with strong tackling keeping the game locked in midfield. Defences gave nothing away and the teams did not take advantage of a penalty corner each by the 22nd minute.

Six minutes later Thomas De Giovanni gave Qormi a 1-0 lead when he scored with a cross-shot from the right side of the D. Both teams doubled their efforts but Qormi held on to their slender lead up to half-time.

The second half developed into a ding dong affair.

In the 37th minute, Mark Camilleri saved Young Stars from going further behind when he hooked a ball over the bar from a close-range Zachary De Giovanni effort.

In the 42nd minute, Camilleri had an effort saved by Ramon Chircop, Qormi’s custodian.

Qormi went 2-0 up in the 49th minute when Zachary De Giovanni’s shot found the net after being deflected off the goalkeeper’s gloves.

Four minutes later, Young Stars were back in the game when Camilleri reduced the arrears from penalty corner action. The tempo of the game increased, both teams producing end-to-end stuff but, despite sharing six penalty corners in the last 10 minutes, Qormi hung on to claim a narrow victory.

They are now sharing top spot with Young Stars but with a game in hand.

Umpires: Manuel Imbroll, Robert Aquilina.

White Hart 0
Hotsticks 4

Both teams spent the first part of the half marking each other in midfield with incursions into the D few and far between.

Hotsticks did not take advantage of a penalty corner in the 20th minute and three minutes later, Steve Portelli just missed putting them ahead when his shot was slightly off target.

Further Hotsticks’ pressure did not bear fruit but, on the stroke of half-time, Julian Zahra deflected a shot from outside the D into the net to give Hotsticks a slender 1-0 lead.

The second half started with both teams failing to profit from a penalty corner but in the 43rd minute, White Hart’s Tony Azzopardi cleared off the line, hooking the ball over the goalpost with his goalkeeper beaten.

Hotsticks exerted constant pressure and, as a result of a penalty corner, doubled their tally in the 47th minute when Portelli hit a bullet of a shot which hit the post before going in.

In the 58th minute, Hotsticks scored their third when Ryan Dalli netted with a crisp shot from the top of the D.

The game was won and lost and just before the final whistle, Portelli grabbed his second to give Hotsticks a 4-0 victory which materialised with a dominant second-half performance.

Umpires: Paul Brincat, Luke Busuttil Leaver.