St Patrick 0
Mosta 1
Mosta registered their second consecutive victory in the Division One championship after beating St Patrick courtesy of an own goal at the beginning of the second half.
This was a different match from the one these two teams pro-duced when they met in the Maltco KO competition earlier in the season.
On that occasion, the Saints dominated proceedings practically from start to finish to end worthy winners 3-1.
However, this time Mosta were the better side, keeping possession and showing great enthusiasm in their play. This was surely the main difference between the two sides yesterday at the Tedesco Stadium.
Despite the willingness from both teams to play open football, chances were few and far between at first.
St Patrick had the first shot at goal but Jurgen Farrugia fired the ball over the crossbar from the edge of the area.
Mosta hit back with a Lyden Micallef drive that flew out of range as Mosta started to show the better ideas even though the Saints' rearguard never wilted under the pressure.
Alfred Attard's Saints, who had beaten Pietà Hotspurs 1-0 in their opening match, were finding the going tough especially upfront.
Mosta, on their part, were looking to find gaps, mainly from the flanks, and on 46 minutes they forged ahead.
From a Mark Briggs delivery inside the Saints' box, defender Ryan Mifsud, in a desperate effort to intercept the cross, blasted the ball past his own keeper Sean Mintoff... a superb goal indeed had Mifsud been a Mosta player.
St Patrick were stunned and on 67 minutes Julian Vella shot straight at Mintoff from two metres out after he was put through by substitute Gilbert Martin.
Mosta were never troubled by their opponents although St Patrick could have saved the day three minutes from time when Matthew Fleri Soler was denied by a timely save from Mosta custodian Jonathan Debono.
Mosta have high promotion ambitions this season and this victory will surely boost their chances even though they still have to deal with the likes of other favourites Marsaxlokk whose match against Pietà Hotspurs tomorrow has been postponed for another date.
St Patrick: S. Mintoff, M. Pullicino (Y. Tonna), D. Gauci, S. Zerafa, D. Milovanovic, R. Mifsud, L. Sciberras, A. Ellul (B. Bugeja), J. Farrugia, T. Farrugia (M. Fleri Soler), T. Caruana.
Mosta: J. Debono, A. Borg, K. Farrugia, B. Agius, L. Stivala, M. Briggs, J. Vella, M. Farrugia, L. Micallef (L. Grima) T. Vella, C. Pace (G. Martin).
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Man of the match: Mark Briggs (Mosta).