Żebbuġ Rangers 1
Ħamrun Spartans 1
A Jake Grech goal four minutes into stoppage time rescued a point for promotion hopefuls Ħamrun Spartans against Żebbuġ Rangers yesterday.
Żebbuġ will surely feel hard-done to have forfeited two points after conceding the equaliser so late in the match but all in all the Spartans deserved to take a point.
The match was a sloppy affair early on as the windy conditions at the Centenary Stadium made life difficult for both sides.
Ħamrun threatened first when Grech fed Saturday Nanapere who quickly released Haruna Garba but his volley flew wide.
Scoring chances remained few and far between.
On 38 minutes, Nanapere and Garba combined well with the latter seeing his shot blocked by the alert Justin Spiteri.
The woodwork denied the Spartans an opener three minutes from the break when from an Evano Briffa free-kick, Martin Hrubsa’s scrambled shot from close in came off the upright.
Żebbuġ finally threatened early in the second half when Thomas Paris’s shot was blocked by goalkeeper David Cassar.
Żebbuġ were now going forward more frequently, winning a series of corner-kicks. From one of them, Keith Vella looked odds on to score but headed wide in front of a gaping goal.
Żebbuġ pushed more men forward and took the lead on 70 minutes. Paris picked Aaron Agius who fired past Cassar.
The Rangers almost sealed the points 12 minutes from time when Roderick Spiteri’s long range shot brought the best out of Cassar.
Ħamrun staged a late rally and their efforts were rewarded deep in stoppage time when Grech beat Spiteri with a low drive.
Żebbuġ: J. Spiteri, R. Bakere, G. McKay, K. Zammit, A. Agius (D. Pereira Fernando), T. Paris, M. Gauci, P.P. Sammut, K. Vella, R. Spiteri, L. Galea.
Ħamrun: D. Cassar (F. Tabone), P. Chircop, G. Azzopardi, M.A. Borg, M. Hrubsa, J. Grech, O. Anonam, E. Briffa, S. Nanapere, T. Cilia (R. Refalo), H. Garba (M. Mucciardi).
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Man of the match: Jake Grech (Ħamrun Spartans).
Pietà Hotspurs 1
San Gwann 1
Pietà Hotspurs: M. Montfort, K. Micallef, T. Bartolo, N. Pace Cocks, D. Agius (R. Harrevelt), M. Mifsud, R. Emeka, K. Cesare, J. Gorskie, C. Grech, J. Scicluna.
San Ġwann: M. Towns, R. Zammit, S. Vella, J. Briffa, J. Azzopardi (C. Cuschieri), A. Borg, J. Cutajar (A. Cachia), G. Agius, B. Abemanga, J. Seita (F. Udoh), J. Tanti.
Referee: Ishmael Barbara.
Scorers: Cesare (P) 51; B. Abemanga (SG) 75 pen.
Man of the match: J. Scicluna (Pietà Hotspurs).
Mqabba 0
Gudja United 1
Mqabba: J. Debono, C. Farrugia, J. Borg, A. Mello da Silva, D. Avdic, C. Calleja, K. Cutajar, M. Baldacchino (K. Saliba), R. Caruana (D. Aquilina), K. Farrugia, G. Ademovic.
Gudja United: D. Balzan, D. Bonnici (I. Cachia), T. Nappa Licari (C. Frendo), D. Martini, S. Micallef, R. Perkins, E. Azzopardi (A. Cutajar), G. Chircop, J. Ciantar, J. Waseem, D. Xuereb.
Referee: Glenn Tonna
Scorer: Cutajar 53.
Man of the match: G. Chircop (Gudja United).
St George’s 0
Gżira United 2
St George’s: C. Carbonaro, I. Uwadia (B. Ayuba), S. Aquilina, A. Razak Men-dy, D. Sammut, E. Amaira, M. Mamo, L. Grech, C. Perdomo, H. Vella, K. Conti.
Gżira: K. Gerada, D. Scerri, B. Farrugia (K. Pulo), J. Pace, M. Avila Perez, J. Bondin, G. Aquilina, R. Kooh Sohna (A. Abela), A. White, G. Muscat (Y. Tonna), S. Borg.
Scorers: Avila Perez 36, Sohna 71 pen.
Referee: Esther Azzopardi.
Man of the match: M. Avila Perez (Gżira).
Standings
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Gżira Utd | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 3 | 33 |
| Ħamrun | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 12 | 30 |
| Senglea | 13 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 25 |
| Pietà | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 11 | 24 |
| Lija | 13 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 23 | 13 | 21 |
| Vittoriosa | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 15 | 18 |
| Żebbuġ | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 18 |
| Fgura Utd | 13 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 18 |
| Melita | 13 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 18 |
| Rabat Ajax | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 16 |
| Mqabba | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 12 |
| St George’s | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 10 |
| San Ġwann | 13 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 7 |
| Gudja Utd | 13 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 30 | 7 |