Rabat Ajax 0
Mġarr United 1

Bottom team Mġarr caused a major upset last weekend when they shocked promotion challengers Rabat who succumbed to a second successive defeat in the league.

There were very few scoring opportunities in the opening half with Mġarr going close first on the half-hour mark when Chris Abela’s rising shot finished just over.

Rabat were then denied by Mġarr keeper Jurgen Muscat off a shot by David Azzopardi but six minutes from the break Mġarr broke the deadlock when Ives Bilocca hit home from a cross by James Borg.

Rabat pushed forward in numbers after the break but it was Mġarr who could have doubled their lead through Ives Bilocca.

The Magpies pressed forward in attack and keeper Muscat preserved Mġarr’s lead with a fine save on Yessous Camilleri. Justin Felice headed just wide for Rabat and late in the match Camilleri was again close to scoring an equaliser but Mġarr held on for a surprise win.

Rabat: I. Cassar, C. Schembri, J. Caruana, Y. Camilleri, J. Felice, A. Smeir, W. Borg (A. Mifsud), D. Falzon, C. Muscat (Rio Micallef), S. Gauci, D. Azzopardi (Ryan Micallef).

Mġarr: J. Muscat, M. Abela, W. Buttigieg, M. Bugeja (A. Debattista), J. Ebejer, J. Said, C. Tabone (I. Cutajar), J. Borg, I. Bilocca, C. Sant, C. Abela (M. Muscat).

Referee: Jude Utulu.

Mellieħa 3
St Patrick 1

The main protagonist in Mellieħa’s win over St Patrick was promising striker Connor Muchmore who came on as a late substitute and scored two decisive goals .

St Patrick lost their third match of the season despite the fact that their opponents had to play with 10 men after Daniel Cremona was sent off on 37 minutes.

Cremona had put Mellieħa in the driving seat with a goal on eight minutes after Saints keeper Franklin Azzopardi had partially saved a Joseph Vella shot.

A Philip Camilleri free-kick finished just over the St Patrick bar and on 22 minutes Cremona shot weakly when all alone in front of goal.

The Saints hit back and on 31 minutes they were denied by keeper Abela off a Gordon Faillla shot.

Six minutes later Mellieħa could have scored a second goal but Joseph Vella hit badly from an ideal position and just before the break an incident led to referee Andrew James Sammut showing a straight red card to Cremona.

As expected, St Patrick dictated the run of play in the second half and they were soon level thanks to an Anthony Portelli goal.

An effort by Clint Farrugia was saved by the Mellieħa keeper who was again alert on 69 minutes to keep out a Steve Dimech shot.

Muchmore was on the right spot on 80 minutes to put Mellieħa 2-1 up after the Saints defence had failed to clear the ball inside the box.

That was not the end of it as on 89 minutes Muchmore scored again to seal his team’s win.

Mellieħa: J. Abela, M. Vella, I. Sammut, P. Taylor, A. Portelli, L. Cauchi, J. Vella (K. Gauci), P. Camilleri (K. Simiana), N. Filipov, F. Bassi (C. Muchmore), D. Cremona.

St Patrick: F. Azzopardi, G. Failla (M. Xerri), S. Dimech, D. Mamo, K. Micallef (D. Micallef), R. Vella, I. Scicluna, D. Gauci, C. Farrugia (C. Grima), A. Ellul, A. Portelli.

Referee: Andrew James Sammut.

Birżebbuġa SP 0
Żejtun Corinthians 1

Leaders Żejtun notched their fourth win of the season, their winning goal scored by Harun Mohammed .

After just two minutes an error from goalkeeper Shaun Cardona led to Mohammed’s goal.

The Corinthians were in control and a free-kick taken by Edward Azzopardi saw Darren Vella’s header stopped by Cardona.

There was a lull in goalmouth action until the 24th minute when a Neville Galea cross was headed just wide of the Corinthians’ goal by Ronnie Celeste. Then a long-range shot by Silvan Privitelli was saved by Ranier Farrugia.

Birżebbuġa attacked for long stretches in the second half but Żejtun almost doubled their lead only for Daniel Cosaitis to hit badly from a good position.

At the other end, the Saints were denied by Farrugia off a Carlos Camenzuli piledriver.

On 75 minutes a header by Denis Baldacchino was cleared off the Żejtun goal line and on another occasion Camilleri shot just wide.

Birżebbuġa: S. Cardona, M. Pullicino (D. Grech), N. Galea, C. Formosa, D. Baldacchino, A. Florin (K. Muscat), M. Ellul, S. Privitelli (N. Tabone), P. Camilleri, R. Celeste, C. Camenzuli.

Żejtun: R. Farrugia, J. Cachia, D. Vella, D. Cosaitis (K. Vassallo), E. Azzopardi, V. Camilleri, H. Schembri, K. Abela, J. Abela (S. Sciberras), A. Carabott, H. Mohammed (R. Cauchi).

Referee: Philip Farrugia.

Żurrieq 0
Żebbuġ Rangers 3

An excellent second-half performance saw Żebbuġ Rangers through to sustain their challenge to the teams chasing promotion, leaving Żurrieq rockbottom in the danger zone of the standings.

Żebbuġ were close first through Aloysius Ihebulu and then the Reds were twice denied by Rangers keeper Jonathan Vella following efforts by Klinsmann Grech and Matthew Genuis.

Żurrieq were seeing more of the ball in the opening half but failed to find a way through as Vella was again on hand to stop a Joseph Lia shot.

Żebbuġ Rangers were a different lot after the break and soon opened the score through Clint Caruana.

The Reds were stunned and Deguara made it 2-0 on 79 minutes after a perfect service from Agius. Eight minutes from time, Gilbert Scerri sealed the issue for Rangers with a third goal.

Żurrieq: M. Farrugia, J. Camilleri, A. Barbara, D. Bellizzi, J. Lia, K. Grech (S. Azzopardi), J. Saliba (D. Spina), R. Attard, M. Genuis, R. Vardaro (T. Cachia), D. Zammit.

Żebbuġ: J. Vella, K. Xuereb, J. Mercieca, E. Calleja, C. Caruana, G. Saliba, M. Farrugia, B. Chetcuti, J. Agius (E. Sciberras), G. Scerri, A. Ihebulu (M. Deguara).

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.