SENGLEA 5
Caseres 19; Virano 43, 56; T. Vella 84; Sammut 85

MOSTA 2
Bartulovic 25, Farrugia 79

Senglea Athletic made an important step towards securing their Premier League status as they defeated Mosta 5-2 in a direct clash between the two teams who shared the fifth place from bottom.

The win which puts the Cottonera side on the 26-point mark, just one point away from making sure of avoiding a play-off.

For Mosta, this was the fifth consecutive defeat which leaves them in troubled waters as they lie five points ahead of Tarxien, six ahead of St. Andrews and seven ahead of rivals Naxxar.

Another team will be relegated to Division One along with bottom-placed Lija Athletic while a third team will play the team placing third in the First Division in the play-off.

Senglea showed greater determination right from the start and managed to take the lead in the 19th minute when consecutive shots by Matias Garcia and Gonzalo Nicolas Virano were blocked by Tyrone Farrugia with Augusto Rene Caseres slotting the ball past Andreas Vella.

Mosta, however, levelled matters on the 25th minute when off a free-kick by Thomas Veronese from the right, Damir Bartulovic’s header was cleared off the line by a defender but the Slovenian striker regained possession beating goalkeeper Matthew Farrugia with a fine shot from the right.

Two minutes from the end of the first half, Senglea regained the lead when the Mosta custodian could only save partially a Terence Vella effort from outside the area and from the rebound, Virano tapped home from close range.

The boys in yellow continued to hold the initiative and eleven minutes in the second half, they increased the lead thanks to a Virano effort who chipped the ball over the helpless Vella.

On 78 minutes, Tyrone Farrugia just failed to connect following a Thomas Veronese cross from the left but a minute later, the Mosta defender reduced the arrears with a fine effort from the edge of the area, slotting the ball past Matthew Farrugia.

However six minutes from time, Senglea regained a two-goal lead. Terence Vella received an assist by Virano on the right and controlled the ball before hitting past the Mosta goalkeeper.

A minute later, victory was beyond any doubts as Virano sent Peter Paul Sammut through and the latter had a first attempt blocked by Vella before hitting home from an angled position

BOV Player of the match Gonzalo Nicolas Virano (Senglea Athletic)