Ghajnsielem 3
Victoria Hotspurs 3

Ghajnsielem and Victoria Hotspurs produced one of the most exciting matches so far this season.

The Blacks had John Camilleri (ex-Xaghra) making his debut while former Malta captain David Carabott came out of retirement to rejoin Ghajnsielem.

Jeremy Camilleri hit the target after five minutes to put Ghajnsielem ahead but, the Citizens got back on level terms in their first significant attack. Nine minutes into the game, Jason Portelli's cross was headed home by Fabiano Bassi.

Carabott's shot from the distance on 26 minutes was parried by goalkeeper Grima but Camilleri pounced on the rebound and scored from close in to restore Ghajnsielem's lead.

The Hotspurs refused to lie down though and their resilience paid off when, in first-half stoppage time, they made it 2-2 thanks to an own goal by Joseph Buttigieg.

Ghajnsielem had the better scoring opportunities after the break but 18 minutes from time, it was the Citizens who went ahead for the first time following a fine solo move by Ricardo Saverino.

But the Blacks were not to be denied. Nine minutes from time, Camilleri tapped in the equaliser following an inviting Haruna Doda cross.

Ghajnsielem: V. Agius, M. Cremona, R. Apap, C. Mercieca, J. Buttigieg, B. Meilak, J. Camilleri (C. Tabone), J. Camilleri, H. Doda, D. Carabott, F.L. Galea.

Victoria: M. Grima, C. Attard, J.P. Grima, M. Vella, N. Borg, A. Briffa, D. Farrugia, R. Grech (A. Zammit), J. Portelli, R. Saverino, F. Bassi.

Referee: Paul Apap.

Kercem Ajax 1
Xaghra United 2

Xaghra United claimed three precious points in their fight against relegation following this hard-earned victory over bottom-placed Kercem.

Alex Ribic was facing his ex-colleagues following his move from Xaghra to Kercem.

Xaghra had more changes in their ranks. Silvan Galea was making a return for the team while Larry Buttigieg (ex-Ghajnsielem), Alex Tramboo (ex-Zebbug) and Abdul Mutalib (ex-Gharb) put on the blue jersey for the first time.

Xaghra opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Leandro Blanco de Castro's free-kick flew past the stranded Leonard Camilleri after taking a deflection. The Ajax staged an immediate reaction and levelled the score soon after thanks to Ribic.

The Ajax dominated possession for long periods but in the 59th minute, Galea surprised Camilleri for Xaghra's winner.

Kercem: L. Camilleri, F. Camilleri, J. Mercieca, D. Stojanovic, E. Nkwocha, A. Ribic, H. Grech (J. Grech), M. Azzopardi, J.P. Mizzi, A. Buttigieg (G. Conti), E. Hussain.

Xaghra: D. Gauci, L. Blanco de Castro, L. Buttigieg, J. Bartolo, S.F. Bajada, P. Attard (N. Attard), J. Galea, A. Tramboo, S. Galea (D. Bartolo), M. Buhagiar, A. Mutalib.

Referee: Sammy Attard.

Nadur Youngsters 3
Sannat Lions 3

Leaders Nadur Youngsters were held to a 3-3 draw by Sannat Lions in an eventful match which could have gone either way.

The champions were two goals down at one point and also had a player sent off late in the first half. They showed great character to maintain their unbeaten record but the even scoreline meant that Nadur dropped their first points after six consecutive wins.

The Lions surprised Nadur with an early goal. Four minutes into the game, Fernando de Andrade was floored in the box and from the resultant penalty, the Brazilian put Sannat ahead.

Nadur seemed stunned after suffering a goal so early in the game and Sannat capitalised. They doubled their lead with a Kenneth Mercieca strike following a fast break on the half-hour mark.

The Youngsters got back in contention with a Josef Buttigieg goal from a corner but suffered a setback just before the break when Marcos Secco was red-carded for a foul on Mark Muscat.

Nadur were not demoralised though and their numerical handicap was hardly evident as they piled up the pressure on their opponents, going close to scoring on more than one occasion.

The Youngsters were rewarded for their efforts in the 67th minute when Joseph Portelli scored to make it 2-2.

The champions kept insisting and turned the result in their favour seven minutes from time following a header by Jeffrey Meilaq from a free-kick.

However, the Lions saved the match late on thanks to another Mercieca goal. He pounced on the rebound after a shot by Muscat came off the bar.

Nadur: J. Xuereb, P.P. Buttigieg (S. Attard), J. Meilaq, M. Secco, J. Buttigieg, D. Odovic, C. Hili, C. Camilleri, E. Nkwankwo, A. Portelli (A. Simoncic), J. Portelli.

Sannat: D. Bajada, P. Spiteri, A. Debono, K. Loughborough, J. Agius, F. Debono (N. Micallef), M. Cutajar, M. Muscat, K. Mercieca, E. Grima, F. de Andrade.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Victoria Hotspurs 2
Qala St Joseph 2

Victoria Hotspurs failed to take advantage of Nadur's slip-up as they could not go beyond a draw against lowly Qala St Joseph.

After a goalless first half, during which Victoria saw more of the ball, the Saints forced a breakthrough a minute after the restart.

Dione Lautier's cross came off Victoria defender Daniel Farrugia and flew past Mark Grima.

The Hotspurs equalised in the 57th minute from a penalty after Paul Camilleri tripped Ricardo Saverino in the box. The latter made no mistake from the spot.

Victoria were awarded a second penalty midway through the half for a foul by Glenn Cefai on substitute Joseph Mizzi. Saverino again converted from the spot to steer the Hotspurs 2-1 ahead.

However, a few minutes later Qala's new signing, Manwel Cordina (ex-Zebbug Rovers), who came on as a substitute, scored with a close range header from a Joseph Xerri free-kick.

Victoria: M. Grima, D. Farrugia, A. Zammit, A. Briffa, M. Vella, R. Grech, M. Buttigieg (J. Mizzi), J. Portelli, N. Borg, F. Bassi, R. Saverino.

Qala: I. Aktpan, P. Camilleri (I. Grech), G. Cefai, M. Bonello, A. Fotso, J. Xerri, D. Abela, C. Attard (M. Cordina), M. Mifsud, P. Said, D. Lautier.

Referee: Reno Refalo.

Ghajnsielem 0
Xaghra United 2

Xaghra United chalked up their second victory in a week after seeing off Ghajnsielem 2-0.

The Blacks were the better side but were punished for a sequence of missed chances when Xaghra went ahead in first-half stoppage time from a Leandro Blanco de Castro free-kick.

On resumption, the improving Blues made sure of the points on 71 minutes when Philip Attard flicked the ball over keeper Agius.

Ghajnsielem: V. Agius, M. Cremona, R. Apap, C. Mercieca (J. Grech), J. Buttigieg (C. Tabone), B. Meilak, J. Camilleri, J. Camilleri, D. Carabott, J. Olgbuleke, F.L. Galea.

Xaghra: D. Gauci, P. Attard, A. Tramboo, J. Bartolo, S. Galea (M. Scerri), L. Blanco de Castro, L. Buttigieg, S.F. Bajada, M. Buhagiar (D. Bartolo), J. Galea, A. Mutalib (T. Borg).

Referee: Anton Zammit.

Division Two

Xewkija Tigers joined SK Victoria Wanderers and St Lawrence Spurs at the top of the table following a 4-1 victory over Gharb Rangers.

Christian Bugeja opened the scoring from a penalty on 39 minutes and Luc Tefogno increased the Tigers' lead on the hour. Bugeja made it 3-0 from another penalty before Roy Vella pulled one back for Gharb.

Mark Camilleri sealed the issue when striking Xewkija's fourth goal in the dying moments.