Vittoriosa Stars 3
St George's 2
In front of a sizeable crowd at the Hibs Ground yesterday, Vittoriosa Stars had the better of rivals St George's by the odd goal in five.
Perhaps, the main difference between the two sides was Vittoriosa striker Anthony Eviparker. He was always a thorn in the side of the Saints' rearguard.
Thanks to this win, Vittoriosa are still unbeaten and now level on points with the Saints, joint third.
St George's looked to have lost some of the flair displayed when winning three consecutive games at the beginning of the season. This was their second defeat in a row, the previous one when going down to St Patrick a week before.
It was St George's who forged ahead after only six minutes when Glenn Bonello headed home a Lawrence Mizzi corner, leaving former St Patrick keeper Alex Camilleri stranded on the goal-line.
Vittoriosa reacted immediately and equalised eight minutes later when striker John Nwoba, helping St George's in defence, rose to punch the ball with his right hand inside his own box following a Lawrence Scerri free-kick.
The referee was quick to point to the spot and Eviparker made it 1-1 from the penalty spot.
On 20 minutes Vittoriosa took the lead. Kenneth Abela was floored in the box by goalkeeper Andrea Gatt and again referee Alan Mario Sant was on the right spot to order the penalty. It was Eviparker, again, who blasted the ball home for the Stars.
The reaction from St George's was fast and furious and on the half-hour mark the scores were again level when a Benoir Fenech cross was concluded by Mizzi.
St George's saw more of the ball after the interval but it was Vittoriosa who regained their lead.
This came on 68 minutes when an Eviparker acrobatic shot hit the bar. Darren Grech was first on the loose ball and hit a powerful drive home from the tightest of angles.
The Saints could have equalised on 74 minutes when an Emerson Amaira header just missed the target. At the other end, from a swift break, Grech's first-time effort sailed just over the bar.
Match Postponed
Due to the soggy conditions at the Hibs Ground yesterday, the other Division One match in store, between St Patrick and Pietà Hotspurs, was postponed. The match will be played on a date and at a venue to be announced later.
Vittoriosa: A. Camilleri (J. Micallef), K. Abela (R. Adami), K. Darmanin (S. Privitelli), P. Aquilina, A. Eviparker, L. Scerri, D. Grech, C. Cachia, S. Calleja, J. Camilleri, L. Lagana.
St George's: A. Gatt, A. Bonello, E. Degabriele (T. Thomas), E. Sevasta, C. Schiavone, L. Mizzi, B. Fenech (I. Curmi), G. Bonello, E. Amaira, L. Grima (V. Camilleri), J. Nwoba.
Referee: Alan Mario Sant.
Man of the match: Anthony Eviparker (Vittoriosa Stars).