St Andrews and Pieta`Hotspurs shared the spoils in an entertaining 3-3 draw this afternoon.

St Andrews were the better outfit in the opening period and opened a two-goal lead in the first 12 minutes. 

Joseph Farrugia drove a low freekick for Martin Davis who broke down the right, before hitting a cross that skidded in via Tony’s shin at the near shot.

Another swift move involving Amoy Brown and Farrugia saw the latter hitting a first effort which was blocked by the sliding Christian Grech.  The loose ball drifted back to Farrugia who intelligently slipped the ball through for Kemar Reid who hit beautifully into the back of the net.

But Pieta`got back into the game six minutes later. Gabriel Mensah’s shot  from the distance looked to pose no particular danger to St. Andrews but in trying to black the effort, Kurt Magro was adjudged to have touched the ball with his hands. Referee Alan Mario Sant awarded Pieta`a penalty and Dylan Agius drove his spot-kick past Matthew Calleja Cremona to reopen the issue.

On the half hour mark, it was St Andrews’ turn to be awarded a penalty after Tony blocked Davis’ goalbound effort with his hands. Reid assumed responsability for the penalty but his shot was touched away by Nicky Vella.

There was no let-up in the second part of the game as the drizzle made the pitch increasingly wet. Pieta` had the onus to take the game to their opponents. Yet, Brown pounced a defensive lapse by Agius to storm through, before serving Davies in the centre for the latter to hit past Vella.

Mensah hit a low drive from long-range as the ball bobbled off the surface and bounced just in front of the goalkeeper to offer hope of a comeback. Then, the Ghanian’s surge into the box, was halted by the onrushing Calleja Cremona, prompting Sant to order a penalty, the third in the game, for Pieta`. Agius again dispatched his shot past the goalkeeper to level matters.