Gozo FC 2
Naxxar Lions 0

Gozo beat Naxxar Lions at the Gozo Stadium last weekend to maintain their charge at the top of the standings. The hosts were under pressure for most of the first half but changed tactics after the break to end up deserved winners.

Naxxar created some good openings through Adrian Fenech and Mark Deguara while an attempt from outside the area by Junior Sant hit the post.

But Gozo looked better after the break and opened the score in the 57th minute when Anthony Portelli dribbled past three players and placed in goal with an angled shot.

Naxxar could have levelled the score following shots by Fenech and Deguara. However, Gozo doubled the score six minutes from time to make sure of the points.

It was substitute Rodney Buttigieg who headed in a free-kick from the right by the other substitute Oliver Farrugia.

Gozo: J. Grima, F.L. Galea, J. Cefai (J. Vella), P.P. Buttigieg, C. Hili, J. Buttigieg, S.F. Bajada, J. Attard (O. Farrugia), J. Camilleri (R. Buttigieg), A. Portelli, C. Bugeja.

Naxxar: D. Vella, K. Vella, M. Deguara, A. Catania, A. Bartolo, A. Fenech, A. Bajada (G. Sant), J. Mercieca, J. Sant, M. Coleiro (J. Agius), A. Delnegro (T. Spiteri).

Referee: Andrea Sciriha.

Mellieħa 3
Mġarr United 0

This was a fine performance by Mellieħa who have maximum points from two matches. Their striker Gotthard Conti shone as he notched a hat-trick.

Mġarr started on attack but after seven minutes Conti opened the score for his team and Mellieħa never looked back.

A Reuben Vella free-kick just missed the Mġarr goal and on 35 minutes a David Fenech ‘goal’ was disallowed for offside.

Two minutes after the restart Mellieħa doubled their lead when Conti hit home from a Vella service. At the other end, Mġarr were denied by keeper Simon Gauci off attempts by Steve Aquilina and Neil Busuttil.

Mellieħa sealed the issue on 77 minutes with Conti’s third goal on the day following good work by Fenech. In added time a shot by Wayne Borg St John bounced off the bar and Conti scored from the rebound but the goal was ruled out for an infringement.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, M. Abela (W. Borg St John), W. Borg, P. Camilleri, K. Gauci, D. Fenech, R. Vella, G. Conti, K. Cassar, L. Cauchi (H. Vella), L. Attard (J. Gauci).

Mġarr: J. Ghio, A. Muscat, A. Portelli, C. Muscat (D. Muscat), W. Camilleri, C. Gauci (S. Mizzi), M. Muscat, S. Camilleri, J. Micallef, N. Busuttil, S. Aquilina (L. Muscat).

Referee: Trustan Farrugia Cann.

Balzan Youths 2
Marsa 0

Balzan Youths also obtained their second win of the season after beating lowly Marsa who had to play for most of the match with ten players as they had goalkeeper Roderick Spiteri sent off in the first half.

Balzan surged forward in attack and after just four minutes they were denied by Spiteri off a shot by Luke Stivala. Marsa hit back with an Adam Spiteri shot which was saved by Galea.

On 19 minutes, Balzan gained a penalty for a foul by Spiteri on Aaron Agius. Spiteri was sent off and Agius scored from the spot.

Balzan continued to dictate the run of play and were again close through Clint Micallef and Kurt Coleiro. They sustained the pressure after the break with stand-in keeper Grima making a series of fine saves to keep his team in the match.

Grima did well to deny Agius but on 70 minutes he was unable to stop an angled Clayton Caruana shot that put Balzan 2-0 up.

Balzan: J. Galea, L. Stivala (J. Agius), D. Agius, B. Bondin, C. Sciberras, J. Francica, K. Coleiro (C. Abela), C. Caruana, A. Lagana, C. Micallef, A. Agius (I. Zammit).

Marsa: R. Spiteri, J. Rizzo, G. Cutajar (O. Zammit), S. Farrugia, J.P. Zammit, A. Galea, A. Spiteri, B. Zammit, K. Scerri, N. Vassallo (D. Grima), D. Gatt.

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Lija Athletic 1
Birżebbuġa SP 0

A goal scored by substitute Ibrahim Tarik earned Lija their second consecutive win with Birżebbuġa still without a point at the bottom of the standings.

Lija assumed the initiative during the first half and were close early on through Chris Pace. The seasiders replied with a Ronnie Celeste shot and at the other end Lija were unlucky when a Martin Borg drive was turned onto the post by goalkeeper Paul Celeste.

Celeste did well to stop an Andre Scicluna effort and on 35 minutes an attempt by Daniel Cremona was headed off the line by Birżebbuġa defender Bernard Farrugia.

In the early stages of the second period Birżebbuġa created goal-scoring opportunities through Celeste and Jason Cassar but it was Lija who broke the deadlock 16 minutes from time when Tarik hit home from an inviting Borg pass.

Lija: L. Bonnici, R. Farrugia, M. Mangion, M. Borg, D. Scerri, D. Cremona (H. Friggieri), M. Camilleri (I. Tarik), J.P. Scerri, C. Pace (C. Ciantar), A. Scicluna, B. Antignolo.

Birżebbuġa: P. Celeste, E. Saliba, B. Farrugia, D. Vella, R. Baldacchino, M. Ciappara, J. Cassar, N. Tabone, G. Scerri, J.P. Barbara (C. Camilleri), R. Celeste.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Sta Venera 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 1

This was fair result with Żebbuġ just managing to avoid defeat following a last-gasp goal by captain Gordon Mallia. Rangers have now cancelled a five-point penalty.

After just two minutes Timothy Thomas went close for Żebbuġ with Sta Venera being denied a certain goal by Martin Pace who stopped a shot by Mark Grech.

Sta Venera continued to run the show but found a sturdy Rangers’ rearguard in their way as a Glenn Micallef shot flew just wide.

Żebbuġ almost opened the score after the restart and were close through Johan Cilia and Timothy Thomas but it was Sta Venera who drew first blood on 55 minutes through Jeffrey Zammit.

Thomas missed a sitter for Żebbuġ to draw level and everything seemed lost for them until two minutes from time when Mallia headed in from a corner.

Sta Venera: J. Agius, A. Cachia (D. Calleja), A. Galea, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, S. Farrugia, G. Micallef, A. Hili (M. Briffa), A. Ellul, J. Zammit, M. Grech (D. Mercieca).

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, R. Attard (E. Sciberras), G. Saliba, G. Mallia, B. Galea, J. Galea (R. Micallef), J. Cilia, D. Gatt (L. Vella), E. Cachia, M. Vella, T. Thomas.

Referee: Saviour Tanti.