Dingli show good form

Dingli Swallows 1
Mqabba 0

Dingli Swallows' fine form continued yesterday when they gained three useful points at the expense of Mqabba. This was a merited win for Dingli, now on the eight-point mark, as they outplayed Mqabba even though they had Jeremy Agius on the subs' bench.

Borislav Giorev's Mqabba were inconsistent and after going a goal down, they fell apart with Dingli guilty of missing a spate of chances to add more goals to their tally.

The first 45 minutes produced few noteworthy chances. In pouring rain, the two teams figured in a kind of kick-and-rush game as chasing high balls was the order of the day.

Dingli started the better side as Mqabba defended en masse. Unsurprisingly, chances were few and far in between. It was Michael Borg Olivier who, on 22 minutes, could have broken the deadlock for Mqabba but his shot sailed over the bar.

Mqabba came out of their shell and on 34 minutes Paul Chimezie should have done better than blasting wide following a good move by substitute Edric Borg.

Five minutes later it was Uchanna Anywanna who could have given Dingli the lead but wasted his chance following some good work by Roderick Spiteri. John Paul Muscat also went close for Mqabba in added time but his shot lacked accuracy.

Dingli scored the goal that mattered on 51 minutes, veteran Mark Galea chipping the ball cleverly over keeper Kris Calleja who was caught out of position.

Dingli continued to hold the upperhand and on 54 minutes it was Calleja who came to Mqabba's rescue when he rushed out to intercept a Roderick Spiteri cross from the right that was aimed at the unmarked Anywanna.

Dingli were unlucky not to double the score on 62 minutes when a Clint Caruana effort was cleared off the line by Claudio Calleja. From the rebound, Kurt Formosa's shot hit the bar.

On 82 minutes, Dingli were again denied by the woodwork when Anywanna's shot came off the foot of the upright.

A minute later Mqabba defender Mauro Bonnici was sent off for dissent and five minutes from time Anywanna brought the best out of Calleja with a volley from just inside the area.

Dingli Swallows
J. Farrugia, R. Mintoff, E. Casha, R. Spiteri, M. Galea (C. Ciappara), K. Formosa, V. Fiteni (G. Failla), C. Muscat, J. Cachia, E. Farrugia (C. Caruana), U. Anywanna.

Mqabba
K. Calleja, M. Bonnici, M.A. Psaila (E. Borg), P. Grima, M. Mifsud (R. Borg), S. Magro, D. Azzopardi (C. Mifsud), C. Calleja, J.P. Muscat, P. Chimezie, M. Borg Olivier.

Referee: Juergen Spiteri.

Man of the match: Mark Galea (Dingli Swallows).