Malta came from 12-4 down at half-time to claim a 24-12 victory over Denmark in the first leg of the 2012 Dove Men+Care International Series at Victor Tedesco Stadium on Saturday.

Viiga Lima scored a brace of tries to put Denmark ahead at half-time after Shaun Gilmour broke through on the left flank to open the scoring for Malta after 15 minutes.

Eugene Hanrahan was Denmark’s best player, creating a physical battle in the middle against the Maltese pack of Parker, Borg, Debattista, Hili and Davies.

The Danes were helped in the early exchanges by a multitude of penalties, ill-discipline costing the Maltese after the opening half-hour.

Joey Davies, whose family heritage hails from Xewkija, was sin-binned for a professional foul a minute before the half-time interval but mistakes crept into the Danish game in the second half and the Maltese took full advantage.

Sliema Stompers winger Von Brockdorff scored in the corner and Cardiff’s Shaun Bartlett fired the home team ahead after 50 minutes.

Dylan Frendo was able to land two conversions, the first giving Malta an advantage they would never give up.

Malta coach Anthony Micallef earlier in the week gave Paul Parkinson, who plays in the English north-east league, his debut. The 25-year-old didn’t disappoint, scoring a debut try in the 59th minute and Frendo converted.

Malta sealed their win when Hanrahan was dismissed for a professional foul and Sliema’s debutant Ed Willis scored two minutes from time, Parkinson unable to add the extras.

Malta meet Denmark in the second leg at Gladsaxe Stadion on September 29.