Ajax surprise Hotspurs

City rivals SK Victoria Wanderers and Victoria Hotspurs failed in their bid to step up the challenge to leaders Sannat Lions in their last outings as they were denied from victory by relegation strugglers Nadur Youngsters and Kerċem Ajax.

The Hotspurs suffered an unexpected defeat to Kerċem in a five-goal thriller. It was Kerċem's first win in the championship to move away from the bottom place and leave Nadur behind in a tussle against the drop that also involves Qala St Joseph.

Ajax had Serbian striker Milan Lvetic making his debut. The match lacked any kind of sparkle during the first half. The most worthy note was jotted down on 36 minutes when the referee red carded Kerċem keeper Mercieca for a second bookable offence.

With a man more, the Hotspurs opened the score on the hour through Noel Borg following a prolonged goalmouth action.

They looked on their way to victory but Kerċem had other ideas and scored twice in quick succession between the 67th and 68th minutes to take a 2-1 lead.

Milos Stojanovic scored from a penalty and then Lvetic headed home his side's second goal.

The Hotspurs regrouped but were unlucky on two occasions when attempts by Adeboye Lukman and a header by Alex Tramboo hit the woodwork.

However, Victoria's efforts were rewarded in the first minute of stoppage time when Fabiano Bassi scored the equaliser with a rasping grounder.

Kerċem were not finished though and scored the winner two minutes later when Josef Debrincat beat the offside trap and hit home from the distance.

The other Division One match saw the Wanderers and the Youngsters engaged in a tight affair with the two teams adopting close marking and the only shots at goal coming from set pieces.

Victoria, probably, had their best chance to open the score midway through the first half when an effort by Joseph Vella was cleared off the line by defender Mario Portelli with the goalkeeper beaten.

Nadur relied on the free-kicks by player/coach Alex Simoncic but Victoria keeper Marlon Mercieca was alert to avoid any mishaps in his goal.

Summaries

Victoria Hotspurs 2
Borg 60, Bassi 90+1
Kerċem Ajax 3
Stojanovic 67 pen, Lvetic 68, Debrincat 90+3

Victoria Hotspurs
M. Grima, J.P. Grima, F. Bassi, J. Portelli, N. Borg, A. Zammit, D. Farrugia, R. Mercieca (M. Cordina), J. Xerri (R. Grech), A. Tramboo, A. Lukman.

Kerċem Ajax
C. Mercieca, M. Tabone, D. Mercieca, F. Camilleri, J. Mercieca, A. Grech (L. Camilleri), M. Vella (S. Grech), M. Stojanovic, J. Debrincat, E. Nkwocha, M. Lvetic.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Nadur Youngsters 0
SK Victoria Wanderers 0

Nadur Youngsters
S. Sultana, S. Attard, M. Portelli, P. Buttigieg (J. Meilaq), A. Simoncic, B. Timotic, J.M. Portelli, C. Attard, S. Muscat (A. Portelli), B. Brajovic, J. Buttigieg.

SK Victoria Wanderers
M. Mercieca, M. Grech, F. Magrin, D.U. Monday, K. Azzopardi (S. Gatt), J. Refalo, M. Buttigieg, J. Vella, I. Adesina, A. Adesina, R. Williams.

Referee: Glenn Tonna.