Floriana returned to winning ways as a Mario Fontanella strike earned them a 1-0 win over Qormi a the Hibs Stadium.

The Greens held the early initiative and in their first telling opportunity they took the lead.

The clock marked 20 minutes when Nicholas Chiesa picked Fontanella inside the area and the Italian striker lobbed the ball over the onrushing Jean-Mathias Vella, the Qormi goalkeeper.

Qormi’s first attempt at goal arrived five minutes from the break when Kurt Magro hit a low drive from the distance that was well blocked by Tyrone Gauci.

At the other end, Vella failed to hold onto Chiesa’s cross and in came Steve Pisani who fired into the sidenetting.

The woodwork denied Floriana a second goal on 55 minutes when Piciollo burst into the area and pulled the ball back to Emanuel Briffa who hit a low drive that came off the upright.

Floriana kept knocking on the door and two minutes later Piciollo was again the provider when he picked Chiesa whose diving header finished over.

Qormi almost made Floriana pay for these missed opportunities as on 70 minutes Viggiani latched onto a long pass but the Italian striker was denied by the onrushing Tyrone Gauci.

Three minutes later they had an even better chance when Viggiani’s cross was met by Gusman who nodded the ball towards the unmarked Magro who failed to connect from routine distance

In time added on Mauricio Villa almost killed off Qormi but his dipping drive finished just over.

Floriana’s attacking midfielder Nicolas Chiesa was voted as the BOV Player of the match.