Melita 4
Dingli Swallows 0
Melita chalked up their third successive win with an impressive 4-0 victory over relegation-troubled Dingli at the Luxol Stadium, yesterday.
Although Dingli adopted an attacking approach it was Melita who were the more effective team with Kane Micallef rounding up a fine day for him after scoring a hat-trick.
Melita saw more of the ball in the opening half and scored in their first real attempt at goal on 25 minutes when Manuel Ramon Sierra Camacho headed home from a free-kick.
Dingli’s response failed to arrive as Steve Meilak, Etienne Farrugia and Leontiev Konda never threatened the solid Melita rearguard. And on 32 minutes, Dingli were dealt a blow when Paolo Ciantar was sent off for retaliation.
Melita went close to double the score with a close range header by George Gribbon that just missed the target but numerical parity was restored just before the break when Tobias Terpougoff was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
On the resumption, Dingli tried to push forward but on 55 minutes Melita ripped the Swallows’ defence apart with a well-worked move that finished with Micallef hitting home past Farrugia.
Kurt Formosa tested Sapiano but on 63 minutes Melita made it 3-0. Luke Micallef did all the running, before delivering a perfect ball for Kane Micallef who scored from close range.
Six minutes from time Cornago San Pedro floated another inviting ball in the heart of the Dingli penalty area and Kane Micallef let fly a scorching shot that finished in the top corner of the net.
Melita: M. Sapiano, T. Terpougoff, M. Sierra Camacho, G. Gribbon, A. Caruana Scicluna (S. Galea), M. Borg, K. Micallef, J. Galea (L. Sammut), E. Cornago San Pedro, L. Micallef, K. Vella Petroni (N. Baldacchino).
Dingli Swallows: J. Farrugia, A. Portelli, P. Ciantar, L. Konda (M. Pace), M. Brincat (J. Pace), S. Meilak, K. Formosa, R. Ceka, E. Farrugia, R. Vella, R. Briffa.
Referee: Sandro Spiteri.
Man of the match: Kane Micallef (Melita).
Rabat Ajax 1
St Andrews 0
An injury time goal scored by Rabat striker Adam Smeir was the highlight of this drab encounter.
The Saints fans will have certainly returned home disappointied to see their team lose the first competitive match they played at their stadium.
For Rabat this win lifted them to second place in the standings, just one point behind leaders Pietà.
Both teams adopted a cautious approach as they seemed more keen not to lose the match then push forward in search of a winner.
In fact there were no shots at goal in the first twenty minutes. The Saints had their first attempt on 21 minutes when Aldinho Goncalves’s shot missed the upright.
At the other end, Saints custodian Daniel Balzan had to rush out of his goal-line to stop Arlindo Rustemi who was through on goal.
The Magpies went close just before the break with a long-range effort from Ryan Micallef which finished just wide.
On the hour, Rabat created their best move with Rustemi serving Micallef who shot wide with only Balzan to beat.
Rabat struck deep into injury time when Smeir beat Balzan with a precise lob.
Rabat: S. Mintoff, N. Caruana, C. Schembri, J. Cornforth, J. Caruana, A. Smeir, A. Rustemi (W. Caushi), D. Falzon, R. Micallef, D. Azzopardi (Y. Cauchi), C. Gauci.
St. Andrew's: D. Balzan, B. Diacono, N. Chetcuti, J. Bugeja, B. Said, J. Briscoe White, A. Nakuaa, F. Alkanua, M. Calleja (M. Grima), R. Previ (N. Vella Petroni), V. Aldinho Goncalves.
Referee: Carl Frendo Cumbo.
Man of the Match: Adam Smeir (Rabat Ajax).