ST ANDREWS              2

Davis 56, 90

BIRKIRKARA               0

Martin Davis scored two second-half goals to propel St Andrews past Birkirkara 2-0 at the Tedesco Stadium.

It was Jake Grech who had the first shot at goal, testing Matthew Calleja Cremona with a direct free-kick on the 19th minute.

St Andrews replied with a Joseph Farrugia effort from outside the area which was saved by Naumovski on the 36th.

Then in a swift counter-attack for Birkirkara, off a cross from the right by Cain Attard, Thiago served Michael Mifsud who controlled the ball, placing it at the back of the net.

However the goal was disallowed as the Malta captain had handled the ball before concluding. A cross shot by Kemar Reid was parried by Naumovski two minutes later.

Birkirkara remained in the driving seat and four minutes in the second half, a direct free-kick by Grech was turned into a corner by Calleja Cremona and from the resulting corner, Danilo Chapoval’s header hit crossbar.

St Andrews took the lead against the run of play on 56 minutes.

Martin Davis concluded a solo effort with a firm drive that had the better of Naumovski.

Birkirkara could have equalised in stoppage time when Chapoval saw his shot hit the bar.

Instead it was the Saints who sealed the points when Davis picked up a short rebound to rifle the ball into the net.

Martin Davis was voted as the BOV Player of the match.