Lija go top after comeback win

Sta Venera Lightnings 1
Lija Athletic 2

Jean Paul Scerri was the toast of Lija Athletic last weekend when he netted two late goals to give his team a vital victory that lifted them to the top of the standings along with St Andrew's.

Sta Venera dictated play early on and after two minutes they were close with Nenad Veselji heading just wide from an Andrew Hili cross.

Lija responded through a Scerri free-kick that was saved by John Agius while at the other end Veselji shot just wide from a good position.

On the half-hour a Stefan Farrugia free-kick ended just over the bar and a minute later Lija were unlucky when Lydon Cilia's fierce drive shot bounce off the crossbar.

It was the Lightnings who drew first blood on 50 minutes when Darmanin committed an own goal from a Gareth Magri corner.

Lija came back strongly and were twice denied by Agius off efforts by Andre Scicluna and Cilia.

Five minutes from time, Lija drew level when Scerri headed home a Matthew Schembri cross.

More drama was in store as in stoppage time Scerri struck again when heading the ball past Agius from a Darmanin corner.

Sta Venera: J. Agius, G. Magri, A. Hili, Y. Mun Law (G. Falzon), M. Muscat, S. Farrugia, A. Ellul, R. Carbonaro (Is. Zammit), A. Camilleri, N. Veselji (K. Vella), G. Micallef.

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

Referee: Thomas Debono.

Senglea Athletic 1
St Andrew's 1

This was a poor performance by St Andrew's who are now sharing top spot with Lija on 21 points from nine matches.

The Saints had a free-kick after seven minutes taken by Michael Ellul, with Kurt Coleiro heading at goal and George Attard bringing off a fine save.

Senglea opened the score on 14 minutes when Timothy Thomas hit home from an angle following a fine solo move.

In the 20th minute a shot by Senglea's Jonathan Buttigieg went wide as the Saints hit back with a Neil Chetcuti shot that was saved in style by Attard.

St Andrew's doubled up their efforts after the break but lacked incisiveness in front of goal.

Senglea continued to defend stoutly but 13 minutes from time they conceded an equaliser when Saints captain Anatole Debono hit home past Attard.

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

St Andrew's: R. Gauci, N. Chetcuti, J. Bugeja (P. Briscoe White), A. Camilleri Kamsky, T. Martin, A. Debono, M. Valenzia, M. Ellul (E. Grima), M. Grima, N. Vella Petroni (W. Camilleri), K. Coleiro.

Referee: Duncan Sultana.

Gozo FC 1
Żebbuġ Rangers 3

Żebbuġ came from behind to turn the result in their favour against Gozo FC at Sannat.

The hosts dictated matters during the first period and created some inviting openings through Rodney Buttigieg, Ferdinando Apap and Oliver Farrugia.

Żebbuġ were also dangerous with a James Galea effort that was cleared by defender Peter Buttigieg and the ball hitting the woodwork on its way out.

But, Gozo opened the score on 37 minutes when Rodney Buttigieg netted from the rebound.

Rangers levelled matters five minutes after the restart when Galea headed home from a Gilbert Scerri centre.

Scerri put Żebbuġ ahead two minutes later with a low shot from outside the area and the visitors completed the comeback on 62 minutes when newcomer Paolo Ciantar netted with a strike from the distance.

Gozo: S. Sultana, P. Buttigieg, J. Cefai, F. Apap, J. Vella, B. Meilak, J. Buttigieg, R. Grech, R. Buttigieg (M. Mifsud), A. Portelli (L. Camilleri), O. Farrugia (P. Camilleri).

Żebbuġ: M. Pace (B. Bartolo), J. Fenech, J. Mercieca, P. Ciantar, S. Calleja, E. Calleja, A. Lagana, J. Galea, G. Scerri, O. Rababah, M.A. Deguara.

Referee: Malcolm Spiteri.

Żurrieq 0
Gżira United 0

This match was played in difficult weather conditions making it hard for both teams to create constructive play and shots at goal.

Gżira missed an opportunity to go top and are now third in the standings.

Gżira had the first opportunity at goal through Keith Bonello but he headed wide from an inviting position.

The Reds were close through shots by Jason Saliba and Daniel Zammit and on 22 minutes an attempt by Karl Sacco finished just wide off the near post.

Gżira had a Neil Gatt Coleiro free-kick causing havoc in the opponents' box and a Josef Felice shot going wide.

Another Gatt Coleiro free-kick after the break was saved by Azzopardi and on 55 minutes Gżira striker Alessandro Pirrone hit wide from close in.

At the other end, Żurrieq's Clive Shumba shot wide with an open goal at his mercy.

Żurrieq finished the match with 10 men when defender Davide Mula was dismissed for a second bookable offence on 81 minutes.

Żurrieq: J. Azzopardi, D. Mula, J. Briffa, D. Bellizzi, C. Gatt, K. Sacco, J. Saliba, D. Bonnici, C. Shumba, D. Zammit (M. Abdilla), O. Ogun (S. Sammut).

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

Referee: Fyodor Zammit.

Għargħur 0
Mellieħa 0

The end result fails to reflect the number of opportunities both teams created during the 90 minutes as Mellieħa were made to play for most of the match with ten players following the red card to goalkeeper Simon Gauci in the first period.

Rueben Vella was close to giving Mellieħa the lead early on and so was his team-mate William Borg but gradually Għargħur started coming more into the picture.

On 21 minutes, Gauci handled the ball outside his box and the referee had no other option but to dismiss the northerners' keeper. James Abela took his place in goal.

Għargħur pressed forward and were unlucky when an Alan Spiteri free-kick was stopped by the bar.

A headed attempt by Mellieħa's Tarek hit the post and two minutes after the break Tarek was again close to opening the score.

Mellieħa defender Hubert Vella did well to stop Chris Vella's stride with a timely tackle and Luke Cauchi was unlucky to see his shot hitting the Għargħur woodwork.

Abela was on the right spot to deny Chris Vella as the stalemate prevailed despite the two teams' effort to play attacking football.

Għargħur: M. Aquilina, D. Galea, R. Debattista, C. Farrugia, K. Vella Petroni (M. Decesare), E. Lapira, R. Southward, C. Vella (J. Galea), A. Spiteri, M. Mercieca (C. Zammit), S. Vella.

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

Referee: Philip Farrugia.