MOSTA-1, FLORIANA-3

Floriana put their top-four challenge back on track after Mosta 3-1 in today's opening match.

The Greens were worth their win as they were the better side through but their failure to take their chances almost came back to haunt them as Mosta pulled a goal back late on.

A dramatic finale ensued before Douglas sealed the points for Floriana with a stoppage-time goal after Mosta goalkeeper Omar Borg, a late replacement for the injured Kyle Gerada, had left his goal to boost his team's attacking efforts.

Despite creating a host of scoring chances, Floriana failed to score in the first half.

Their early pressure yielded a series of corners. From one of them, Mosta goalkeeper Kyle Gerada did well to beat away Steve Pisani's inswinging cross.

Tyrone Gauci, the Floriana goalkeeper, also produced a diving save to stop Ryan Grech's piledriver.

The Greens were unlucky not to take the lead on 15 minutes. Latching on to  a cross from the right, Conor Borg hit a dipping shoot that flashed against the inside of the far post.

The ball landed at the feet of Pisani but his close-range effort brought a brilliant save from Gerada.

The 24-year-old goalkeeper then pushed away Matteo Piciollo's angled effort as Floriana remained the brisker side. On 26 minutes,. the Italian forward burst through Rodriguez Ekani and Ian Zammit only to send his shot wide of the far post.

On another occasion, Piciollo had a low shot blocked by Gerada. There was another scare for Mosta when Plut's drive, from a tight angle, was deflected away for a  corner.

Mosta were on the backfoot. The woodwork came to their rescun when Conor Borg's backward header, from Gary Muir's cross, came off the crossbar. The danger was not over for Mosta as Piciollo again tormented the Mosta defenders when running into the box from the left but his low cross rolled past Plut before the Blues cleared.

Zammit, who started on the right wing for Mosta, delivered a shot from the distance but Gauci was alert.

Six minutes from half-time, Gary Roberts, the Mosta midfielder, hit a raking pass towards Matteus who shrugged off his marker but his  drive was high and wide.

Mosta improved towards the end of the first half. The woodwork denied Mosta a goal as Roberts' cross, from a left-wing corner, was met by Matteus but his header came off the near post.

At the other end, Pisani missed an inviting chance when driving wide from inside the box.

Gerada remained the busier keeper when the second half resumed. He produced another fine save, leaping into the air to push Plut's thunderbolt over the bar, but Mosta conceded from the ensuing corner.

Pisani's cross sailed towards the far post, Steve Bonnici nodded the ball into the-six yard box and Plut headed into the net from close in.

Mosta clearly needed to step up a gear if they wanted to get back into the match.

Karl Pulo, playing at left-back, picked out Zammit but his header was too central to trouble Gauci.

It was Floriana who increased their lead on 65 minutes.

Once more, the quick movement of the Floriana forwards unsettled the Mosta defenders as Plut controlled the ball before releasing Piciollo who advanced before flicking past Gerada.

Muir was wide with a swerving effort as Floriana remained on top.

Mosta might have grabbed a lifeline but Roberts' well-taken free-kick was kept out by Gauci.

With seven minutes remaining, Piciollo again set off on a surging run, leaving Tyrone Farrugua and Yannick Ossok in his wake but his grounder was blocked by Gerada.

The Mosta goalkeeper was then forced to dive backward to pluck Douglas's flick after Mosta had failed to clear Pisani's corner.

Two minutes from the end, Mosta reopened the issue as Zammit's brilliant free-kick, from the distance, had the better of Gauci.

Floriana threatened to regain their two-goal lead when Piciollo cut the ball back to substitute Brooke Farrugia who let fly a rising drive that drew another fine save from Gerada.

The Mosta goalkeeper was unable to continue as he suffered an injury after landing awkwardly. He was replaced by Omar Borg.

In stoppage time, Mosta threw everything in attack with Borg going upfield to boost his team's late attacking surge.

He almost made his mark at the other end as he controlled a cross with his chest before passing to Farrugia who looked odds-on to equalise but his close-range effort took a deflection off a defender.

The drama was not over as Floriana were quick to break on the counter through Douglas whose shot from the halfway line rolled into the unguarded net.

Plut was named BOV player of the match.