Gżira join Lija on top

Mellieħa 0
Lija Athletic 0

Lija Athletic were forced to settle for a draw by a Mellieħa side that enjoyed the better play for long stretches. The result left Lija sharing top spot with Gżira United on 25 points from 11 matches.

Lija created the first opportunity through Andre Scicluna whose shot finished just wide while at the other end Joseph Vella saw his drive hit the bar and from the rebound Rio Micallef's effort was blocked by Bonnici.

Lija replied through two attempts by Keith Darmanin and Scicluna which finished over the bar.

The second period belonged to Mellieħa who were undoubtedly the better team. The Northerners were close through a William Borg free-kick, which just missed the target, and on 78 minutes a low shot by Vella was saved by Bonnici.

A minute from time, Mellieħa were denied by Bonnici who brought off a very difficult save to deny Borg.

Deep in stoppage time Lija were reduced to ten men when Colin Ciantar was dismissed for retaliation.

Mellieħa: S. Gauci, J. Gauci, M. Vella, H. Vella, L. Cauchi, K. Gauci, W. Borg, A. Portelli, R. Micallef (R. Vella), P. Camilleri, J. Vella (W. Borg St John).

Lija: L. Bonnici, M. Mangion, A. Saliba, D. Scerri, K. Darmanin (M. Borg), A. Sacco, J.P. Scerri, A. Scicluna, C. Ciantar, B. Antignolo (M. Schembri), H. Schembri (L. Cilia).

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Żebbuġ Rangers 0
Gżira United 2

Gżira United notched their eighth win of the season to join Lija at the top of the Division Two standings, one point ahead of St Andrews.

Żebbuġ were unlucky after four minutes when a Gilbert Scerri free-kick hit the upright.

Gradually Gżira gained the initiative and a headed attempt by Alessandro Pirrone finished just wide. The Maroons forward was again denied on 22 minutes when his header was cleared off the line by a Żebbuġ defender.

Gżira continued to push forward and on 30 minutes they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Pirrone and Keith Bonello made no mistake from the spot.

Eight minutes from the break, Żebbuġ striker Omar Rababah was fouled by Neil Gatt Coleiro in the area but Mark Deguara's shot from the penalty was saved by Keith Camilleri.

Two minutes after the restart Gżira were close to increasing their lead but Nico Corito's shot finished inches wide off the far post.

The Rangers' reaction produced efforts by Scerri and George Saliba but in the 78th minute Gżira increased their lead through a Corito free-kick.

Żebbuġ: M. Pace, J. Fenech (S. Calleja), J. Mercieca, S. Calleja, E. Calleja, J. Cilia (S. Privitelli), A. Lagana, G. Scerri, O. Rababah, M. Deguara, J. Galea (G. Saliba).

Gżira: K. Camilleri, A. Pirrone (J. Gatt), M. Cocks, M. Sultana, T. Micallef, A. White, N. Corito, H. Gatt Bonello, K. Bonello (S. Gatt), A. Galea (R. Attard), N. Gatt Coleiro.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

St Andrew's 3
Sta Venera Lightnings 0

St Andrew's sustained their promotion challenge with a fine win over relegation-haunted Sta Venera with their goals coming after the interval.

St Andrew's dictated the run of play throughout the first period and Jonathan Bugeja headed just wide from a cross by Anatole Debono.

On 22 minutes Michael Ellul's free-kick was punched away by Azzopardi.

Three minutes later, Sta Venera missed a clear opportunity through Alistair Camilleri while at the other end Debono hit wide when all alone infront of goal.

In the closing stages of the first-half, Sta Venera were close through Nenad Veselji.

On the resumption, St Andrew's played the better football but it was the Lightnings who had the early opportunities.

They were denied by Gauci off a Stefan Farrugia free-kick with the Saints responding through two quick counter-attacks by the agile Michael Grima.

St Andrew's took the lead on 58 minutes through a close-range shot by William Camilleri.

Camilleri struck again on 79 minutes when he beat Azzopardi with a low shot before Grima wrapped up the points with a third goal three minutes from time.

St Andrew's: R. Gauci, A. Camilleri Kamsky (K. Galea), N. Chetcuti, J. Bugeja, P. Briscoe White, J. Briscoe White, M. Valenzia, M. Ellul (M. Grima), W. Camilleri, A. Debono, K. Coleiro (M. Calleja).

Sta Venera: F. Azzopardi, A. Cachia, R. Carbonaro, M. Muscat, Y.M. Law, G. Micallef, N. Veselji (K. Vella), S. Farrugia (C. Azzopardi), A. Camilleri (G. Falzon), A. Ellul, G. Magri.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Żurrieq 0
Birżebbuġa St Peter's 2

Birzebbuga St Peter's bounced back from their defeat to Gżira United when they overcame Żurrieq's stiff resistance courtesy of two second-half goals from league top-scorer Ronnie Celeste.

The first half was a balanced affair with Żurrieq threatening early on when a shot by Johan Briffa was saved by Gabriel Mansueto. Then the Saints were twice close through Carlos Camenzuli.

Just before the break, Żurrieq threatened again through Daniel Zammit.

After the interval, Birżebbuġa had a Charles Cachia free-kick saved by Azzopardi.

However, the Saints took the lead on 63 minutes when Celeste's low shot hit the back of the net.

Żurrieq hit back and on 74 minutes they were close through Ogun.

But, Birżebbuġa sealed the points three minutes from time when they awarded a penalty for a foul on Keith Muscat and Celeste made no mistake from the spot.

Żurrieq: J. Azzopardi, D. Mula (J. Mizzi), C. Gatt, A. Barbara, D. Bellizzi, J. Saliba, J. Briffa, M. Abdilla (A. Gove), C. Shumba, O. Ogun (M. Spiteri), D. Zammit.

Birżebbuġa: G. Mansueto, C. Cachia, A. Buttigieg, E. Saliba, A. Mangion, E. Bugeja, R. Adami, F. Peplow (C. Formosa), D. Baldacchino, C. Camenzuli (K. Muscat), R. Celeste (M. Zammit).

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Gozo FC 0
Senglea Athletic 0

Gozo FC ended a negative run of upsets after sharing the spoils with Senglea Athletic at the Sannat Ground.

Play for most of the first half was held in midfield as both sets of defences held the upperhand over the opposing forwards.

Senglea were unlucky on 28 minutes when a strike by Timmy Thomas hit the crossbar.

Gozo's best scoring opportunity arrived four minutes from the break through a cross-shot by Dylan Mercieca that was turned in corner by goalie George Attard.

Senglea took command of midfield after the break and created some good scoring opportunities.

On 54 minutes an attempt by Bjorn Dalli was saved with difficulty and from the resultant flag-kick Howard Hughes's shot was cleared from the goalmouth by Frank Debono.

Gozo had a golden scoring opportunity just before the hour when John Camilleri freed Paul Spiteri who incredibly failed to guide the ball inside an open goal.

Senglea had their last opportunity to score the decisive goal on 70 minutes when a strike by Brady Zerafa ended wide.

Gozo FC: D. Pace, F. Debono, M. Formosa, B. Njoku, A. Debono, D. Mercieca, J. Portelli, N. Micallef (S. Muscat), E. Grima, J. Camilleri (M. Bezzina), P. Spiteri.

Senglea: G. Attard, D. Cosaitis, E. Azzopardi, J. Spiteri, B. Zerafa, J. Buttigieg, A. Sciortino, H. Hughes, J. Gatt (C. Borg), B. Dalli, T. Thomas.

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.