Nadur Youngsters maintained their excellent start to the season after a 3-1 win over Victoria Hotspurs.

The champions are the only team with maximum points. The clash with the Hotspurs was viewed as a key test for Nadur as the Citizens had impressed in their opening two outings.

Alex Simoncic, Saviour Attard and Brian Meilak were missing for Nadur but they were boosted by the arrival of former Hibernians defen-der Adrian Pulis.

The Youngsters could not have hoped for a better start as they were awarded a penalty inside the open-ing minutes after Alex Tramboo tripped Jonathan Soares. The Brazilian converted from the spot.

Nadur doubled their lead on seven minutes when Milos Stojanovic’s quickly taken free-kick reached David Fenech who hit home with a rasping grounder.

Victoria recovered from this early shock. Ten minutes from half-time, Warren Chircop concluded weakly from a good position but Saturday Nanapere reduced the arrears after being put through by Michael Bezzina.

Seconds before half-time, Victoria’s Mark Muscat missed a sitter and Nadur goalkeeper Mark Grima then produced the best save of the day to stop Nanapere’s menacing free-kick.

The Youngsters all but sealed the issue on 63 minutes when skipper Anthony Portelli drove a low shot into the net after getting on the end of Stojanovic’s pass.

Title contenders Kerċem Ajax and Xewkija Tigers had to settle for a point each after sharing four goals in an exciting match.

Kerċem, who were without the suspended Joseph Chetcuti, started on a positive note, opening the scoring in the fifth minute thanks to a strike by Jean Paul Mizzi.

Xewkija staged a determined reaction to level the score two minutes later with a fine shot from Christian Bugeja. Midway into the first half, the Tigers moved 2-1 up thanks to another own goal by Keith Bonello.

Kerċem kept their composure though. They went close to an equaliser late in the first half through efforts by Sabri Rais and Malcolm Vella.

The second half had only just started when Kerċem midfielder John Camilleri’s angled effort was tipped away for a corner. Kerċem made it two-all on 54 minutes with an own goal by Josmar Vella who headed badly in an attempt to clear a free-kick by Petar Kyumyurdzhiev.

In the remaining minutes, both sides pressed for the winner. The best chance fell to Xewkija but Dene Shields’s header was blocked by goalkeeper Leonard Camilleri.

Kerċem also had their oppor-tunities. Substitute Anatole De-bono, who was making his debut, fired over the bar, Andrew Mizzi was denied by goalkeeper Adrian Parnis and a low shot by Chris Camilleri came off the post.

SK Victoria Wanderers returned to winning ways after edging Xagħra United 2-1.

The Wanderers took the lead early on through Ajibade Adesina and on 24 minutes, Argentine midfielder Fernando Giarrizzo made it 2-0.

Xagħra were reduced to 10 men on 72 minutes when Chidi Achokwu was sent off following an off-the-ball incident.

Despite being a man short, the Blues continued to attack and re-opened the issue 14 minutes from time when newcomer Juan Manuel Ruiz Perez won and converted a penalty.

In the dying stages, Xagħra went close to levelling matters through substitute Joseph Scerri whose shot finished just over.

Victoria’s Adesina missed an opportunity to put his team’s minds at rest, shooting wide from a good position.

Oratory Youths chalked up their second consecutive win after seeing off Munxar Falcons 4-0.

James Tabone might have opened the scoring for the Youths on 22 minutes but his header hit the post. Tabone made no mistake on 32 minutes when his effort from a corner action sailed into the net.

Oratory doubled the score on 49 minutes from a Shaun Attard free-kick and Oliver Farrugia made it 3-0 on 65 minutes.

Attard scored the fourth and final goal seven minutes from time.

Division Two

In Division Two, Qala Saints and Għarb Rangers scored identical 2-1 wins over Sannat Lions and St Lawrence Spurs respectively.

Qala opened a two-goal lead through Christian Portelli (39) and Michael Mumford (51) and Josiah Buttigieg replied for Sannat on 74 minutes.

The Għarb-St Lawrence clash was the first competitive match at the renovated Kerċem Ajax ground.

St Lawrence took a deserved lead through Franklin Grima but Għarb equalised on 22 minutes when Jerry Anyanwu hit home from the penalty spot.

After the change of ends, Għarb held off the Spurs’ pressure before snatching a dramatic victory in stoppage time when Anyanwu finished off a fast counter-attack with a low drive.

Division One

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Nadur Y’sters	3	3	0	0	8	2	9
Oratory Youths	3	2	0	1	7	3	6
SK Victoria W.	3	2	0	1	5	3	6
Xewkija Tigers	3	1	2	0	7	3	5
Kerċem Ajax	3	1	1	1	10	4	4
Victoria Hot.	3	1	1	1	3	4	4
Xagħra United	3	0	0	3	2	8	0
Munxar Falcons	3	0	0	3	1	16	0

Division Two

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Qala Saints	2	1	1	0	4	3	4
Għarb Rangers	2	1	1	0	4	3	4
Għajnsielem	2	1	1	0	3	2	4
Żebbuġ Rovers	2	0	2	0	4	4	2
St Lawrence S.	2	0	1	1	3	4	1
Sannat Lions	2	0	0	2	1	3	0