ST ANDREWS 3

Perez Cuestra 6, Nwoko 86, Desira Buttgieg 90

PEMBROKE ATHLETA 1

Laudisi 16 pen

Two goals in four late minutes by substitutes Kyrian Nwoko and Matteo Desira Buttigieg propelled St Andrews to a 3-1 victory over Pembroke Athleta.

Just as the game looked to be heading for another draw with four minutes to go, substitute Nwoko made the most of a quick Saints break to put them back in front, while four minutes later Desira Buttigieg curled in a superb shot.

St Andrews in bright-yellow opened the score with a devastating attack within the first six minutes. Victor Oseghale headed the ball into the path of the overlapping Enmy Penà Beltre who pulled it back for Jonathan Perez Cuestra to shoot low into the corner.

But ten minutes later, Michael Johnson bundled over Manolito Micallef to concede a somewhat soft penalty with Ariel Laudisi, standing in as penalty taker, converted from the spot.

Undeterred, the Saints continued to pummel the Pembroke defence. Penà Beltre released Joseph Farrugia in the centre of the box. The former Qormi midfielder controlled the ball before aiming for goal but Mario Muscat dived in to repel the danger.

With Pembroke looking soft in attack, coach Winston Muscat introduced Nigerian forward Obinna Obiefule on the hour.

Yet the game flowed mainly in the direction of the Pembroke’s goal as the Saints showed commendable fighting spirit. But the Athleta were able to read the Saint’s attacking intentions and nullify them with relative ease.

It sparked a change from Josè Borg and, on 83 minutes Kyrian Nwoko replaced a below-par Johnson.

And Nwoko took the game by the scruff of the neck and made the most of a quick St Andrews break to put them in front. Perez Custra burst into the box before his grounder finished against the foot of the post. Nwoko gathered the rebound to drive the ball home.

Pembroke tried to stage another Houdini act but they were stopped in their tracks by Jake Galea who managed a brilliant block on Laudisi.

And two minutes later, Perez Custra’s trickery on the left flank gave him room to cut in and a deliver a low cross which Desira Buttigieg slotted into an empty net.