Sta Venera join Melita in Division Two
MIA Division Two
Zejtun Corinthians 0
St George's 4
St George's obtained the points they needed from this match on Sunday to make sure of a second successive promotion. As a result of Monday's results, Edward Darmanin's team will go up as Division Two champions.
They were a class better than the dejected Corinthians, who will play in an inferior category next season. The Saints pressed forward and after a Keith Darmanin shot was saved by Mifsud, they soon took a two-goal lead as the Zejtun resistance fell.
Darmanin scored after an Ivan Camilleri pass on 21 minutes and two minutes later Camilleri served Nazzareno Abela who made it 2-0 from close distance. Just before the break, Glen Bonello grabbed St George's third goal with a powerful drive.
Four minutes after the restart, Zejtun defender Etienne Borg was injured and the Corinthians had to continue with ten players. For the umpteenth time this season they had no substitutes available.
Their woes were compounded in the 53rd minute when Bonello scored again for St George's who secured the championship with one match to spare.
Referee: Frans Formosa.
Vittoriosa Stars 0
Xghajra Tornadoes 1
Vittoriosa were already out of the promotion race before this match and their lack of commitment was evident as Xghajra Tornadoes, long demoted to Division Three, went on to chalk up only their second victory of the season.
Vittoriosa did the early running but Robert Adami and Josef Spiteri failed to find the net from good scoring positions.
Xghajra were the better team during the second-half. In the 57th minute, a Lawrence Mallia shot was cleared off the line by Kevin Cachia.
The match seemed heading for a goalless stalemate when Damian D'Amato scored an opportunistic goal for Xghajra six minutes from time to earn the Greens three unexpected points.
Referee: Esther Farrugia.
Zurrieq 0
Gozo Fc 1
John Camilleri's 22nd goal of the season steered the Gozitans to the second place in the standings after beating Zurrieq who must now figure in the play-offs to retain their status next season.
Zurrieq were mostly on attack in the opening half but it was the 'visitors' who created the first goal-scoring opportunity through Mario Azzopardi. His drive was saved by keeper Jeffrey Farrugia.
On 32 minutes, Zurrieq were unlucky when Godfrey Chetcuti's volley bounced off the Gozo FC woodwork and five minutes before the break a shot by Philip Farrugia was cleared in time by Josef Galea.
Chetcuti's 56th-minute header again found the bar in the way and right on the hour Gozo scored the goal that mattered.
Farrugia did well to keep out a Gotthard Conti effort but the rebound fell Camilleri's way who was quick to fire the ball home.
Gozo are now one match away from a swift return to Division One.
Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.
Gzira United 1
Zebbug Rangers 2
Gzira's promotion chances suffered another severe blow on Monday night when they were beaten by mid-table side Zebbug 2-1, to surrender the second place in the standings to Gozo FC, now the likely favourites for promotion.
Gzira looked heading for their 12th victory of the season when after just five minutes Hashem Rhababh beat Rangers goalie Martin Pace from a loose ball.
Gzira had other chances to add to their tally but failed to beat Cini again and for this they paid dearly because in the 16th minute Eric Sciberras headed home the Rangers' equaliser.
Pace was frustrating the Gzira forwards with his timely interventions as Zebbug operated on quick counter-breaks. Thirteen minutes from time, George Saliba stunned the Maroons with a second Rangers goal from a corner.
Gzira's reaction proved ineffective. A season that had started so well for them now looks in tatters.
Their last match is on Monday against champions St George's. Gozo play Vittoriosa on Saturday and Mellieha, the other challengers, take on St Andrews on Sunday.
Referee: Joe Attard.
Attard 1
Mellieha 2
Two Wayne Borg St John goals helped Mellieha to clinch three precious points that kept them in the running for the second promotion berth.
Borg St John put the northerners ahead with a firm first-timer from a Mario Debono corner after 15 minutes. Attard's Jason Borg almost drew the teams level five minutes later but 10 minutes from the break it was one-all when Chris Ciappara headed home from a Borg cross.
The second half was evenly balanced until the 68th minute, that is.
Mellieha were awarded a penalty for a foul on Matthew Borg. From the spot, Borg St John put his team on their way to victory.
Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.
St Andrews 3
Dingli Swallows 0
This clash between mid-table teams, both safe from the drop, went St Andrews' way as they hit three goals past a poor Dingli team who suffered their 11th defeat of the season.
The Saints took the lead in the 28th minute through Robert Guzman, following a pass by Mark Schembri. Dingli keeper Abela denied Junior Sank with a fine save from a free-kick and on another occasion Michael Mangion headed wide from a good position.
Dingli tried to save the match after the break but two quick goals between the 75th and 78th minutes laid their hopes to rest as St Andrews went 3-0 up thanks to strikes from Mark Schembri and Guzman, again.
Referee: Ian Miller.
MIA Division Three
Siggiewi 0
Sta Venera Lightnings 5
Sta Venera dominated this match from start to finish to crown a fine day for Kenneth Costantino and his players after the side won direct promotion, along with Melita.
Sta Venera's hero was Jeffrey Zammit. He notched a first-half hat-trick with goals in the 10th, 30th and 45th minutes.
After a handful of seconds from the restart Andrew Hili made it 4-0 for the Saints as the bewildered Siggiewi were nowhere to be seen.
In the 72nd minute, substitute Jonathan Saliba added a fifth goal for the Lightnings.
Five minutes from time, substitute goalkeeper Rapinett denied Siggiewi a consolation goal off a close-range shot by Adrian Farrugia.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Gudja United 1
Birzebbuga 1
This was a disappointing outing for the two sides, both marking their last game of the regular season. Birzebbuga will now figure in the play-offs for the third place in Division Two.
After only eight minutes Birzebbuga tested Xerxen with an Abdilla drive. In the 10th minute they took the lead through Darren Prendergast after Xerxen had partially blocked on Abdilla's shot at goal.
However, a minute later Gudja drew level through Louis Falzon.
After the break, Gudja were the more adventurous side. Falzon's free-kick hit the Birzebbuga woodwork as goalkeeper Mifsud had to be alert for most of the time to deny the Gudja forwards.
Referee: Gordon Barbara.
Ghaxaq 6
Mgarr United 1
Ghaxaq ended their league commitments with an easy victory over bottom team Mgarr United to assure themselves of Third Division football next season.
This result also means that Ta' Xbiex, together with Mgarr, will have to seek re-election to competitive football next season.
Michael Caruana (28, 40, 79), Kevin Gambin (32), Martin Debono (44) and Chris Camilleri (90) scored for Ghaxaq. Substitute Andre Cauchi pulled one back for Mgarr in the 69th minute. Ghaxaq goalkeeper Ivan Mula blasted a 66th-minute penalty wide.
Referee: Mariano Debono.
Ta' Xbiex 1
Pembroke Athleta 5
Ta' Xbiex and Pembroke rounded up their 2003/04 league programme with the latter coming back from a goal down with three quick strikes in the early stages of the second period before adding another two late in the game.
Charlie Vassallo scored for the seasiders after 36 minutes but Pembroke hit back strongly after the break with goals from Ryan Debattista (46), Andre Cachia (51) and Carlo Leonardi (55).
Joe Gauci made it 4-1 from a free-kick and Leonardi scored his second goal two minutes from time.
Referee: George Bitri.