The hockey season got underway last Sunday with two matches from the Challenge Cup.

In the first match, Young Stars got the better of Sliema Hotsticks by a solitary goal scored by Ivan Magro Dingli in the second half.

Play on the whole was rather disjointed with both defences in command. In the last five minutes of the match, Sliema pinned their opponents in their own half, forcing no fewer than four short corners which were all dealt with by a determined Young Stars defence.

In the second match of the day, Qormi beat Rabat 2-0.

Although Qormi were showing the finer touches, it was Rabat who were the more menacing.

In the first half they forced a total of eight short corners but found Ramon Chircop in fine form to deny them the lead.

The shrill of the whistle to start the second half was still in the air when Qormi opened the score.

Jonathan Aquilina raced down the left flank and his reverse hit cross was met by John Borg who deflected the ball past Ian Azzopardi in goal.

Qormi kept up the pressure and could have made it 2-0 had Keith Calleja not missed an open target.

Rabat did try to come back into the game, forcing a series of short corners all of which were ably controlled by the Qormi defenders.

But on 65 minutes Qormi put the match away when Borg converted a penalty stroke after Aquilina was brought down in the D by the Rabat goalkeeper.