Melita 1
Gudja United 4
Gudja United completed a remarkable comeback as they came from a goal down to overcome Melita and leapfrog the Amateurs in fourth place in the standings.
Gudja looked short of ideas in the opening half but clicked into gear after the restart with Anthony Ewurun hitting a hat-trick.
The first scoring opportunity came Gudja’s way when a Ryan Dalli grounder was saved by Grima in the Melita goal.
But the Amateurs hit back and Matthew Borg was denied by the quick-thinking keeper Matthew Xerxen.
Melita held control and a minute before the break they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Kurt Coleiro.
Borg drilled the ball past Xerxen from the penalty mark.
Gudja, however, looked a transformed side in the second half and drew level on 63 minutes thanks to Andrea Scozzese whose free-kick flew past into the net.
Gudja struck again on 76 minutes. Mauro Brincat released Ewurun who rounded Grima before depositing the ball into the net.
Two minutes from time, Ewurun outpaced his direct marker to make it 3-1 and the same player completed his hat-trick in stoppage time when he sped clear before beating the keeper.
Melita: N. Grima, L. Bianco, N. Bonello, M. Borg, A. Borg Olivier, M. Valencia (L. Zammit), J. Galea, L. Micallef, L. Sammut ( N. Rizzo), A. Attard (P. Muscat), K. Coleiro.
Gudja: M. Xerxen, R. Buhagiar, C. Farrugia (E. Bugeja), M. Brincat, C. Fenech, F.A. Scozzese, G. Chircop, P.P. Sammut (G. Debattista), R. Dalli (C. Portelli), M. Groves, A. Ewurun.
Referee: Fiodor Zammit.
Man of the match: Anthony Ewurun (Gudja).
Ħamrun Spartans 2
Msida SJ 0
Ħamrun Spartans gave their fans something to cheer about yesterday when they scored two-second half goals to see off rivals Msida St Joseph and claim their second successive win.
The opening 45 minutes turned out to be a drab affair with scoring chances few and far between.
On 15 minutes Rodney Refalo saw his effort blocked by Gaetano Gesualdi and just before the break Cornago Del Pedro was well fed by Azzopardi but his shot finished inches wide.
The Ħamrun kept the initiative on the restart and Adrian Borg put the Spartans ahead with a fine overhead kick after some fine work from Refalo.
Four minutes later the Saints went close when following a melee in front of the Spartans goal, an Ayrton Azzopardi effort was cleared off the line.
Ħamrun made the game safe 15 minutes from time and it was again Refalo the provider who set up Glenn Azzopardi whose fierce drive gave Mallia no chance.
The Spartans finished the match with ten men when Glenn Azzopardi was dismissed for dissent.
Ħamrun Spartans: J.C. Debattista, A. Sicali (A. Micallef), A. Borg, L. Grech, M. Busuttil, M. Cornago Del Pedro, R. Refalo, M. Deanov, S. Shead (J. Felice), G. Azzopardi, R. Spiteri (A. Attard).
Msida: J. Mallia, G.J. Gesualdi, M. Borda, S. Vella, L. Cassar, D. Attard, M. Caruana (L. Micallef), A. Azzo-pardi, D. Cachia, A. Laudisi, S.G. Banzio.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Man of the match: Rodney Refalo (Ħamrun S.)