Pietà join St Patrick at the summit

San Ġwann 0
Pietà Hotspurs 1

Simon Shead hit a last-gasp goal to lift Pietà Hotspurs to the top of Division One after a narrow 1-0 win over San Ġwann.

The Hotspurs, who are level with St Patrick on 18 points, had to battle hard for the three points as San Ġwann, who finished the match with 10 men, put up a gallant fight.

Pietà did the early running, going close in the third minute when Silvan Ciscaldi's drive from the edge of the box brought a fine save from Juergen Spiteri.

Three minutes past the half hour, a Carl Pulo free-kick was brilliantly tipped away for a corner by Spiteri. Two minutes later, Shead's cross was headed over by Ciscaldi.

San Ġwann created their first attempt at goal seven minutes from half-time. Firez Aboulezz fired a shot from the edge of the area but Ivan Cassar responded with a good save.

At the start of the second half, Pietà's Pulo appeared to have been fouled inside the area but referee Esther Azzopardi waved play on. On 58 minutes, the San Ġwann goalkeeper stopped a Pulo free-kick.

Roberto Brincat went close for San Ġwann with angled shot but the match remained low on constructive football.

Midway through the second half, San Ġwann's Antoine Zahra pounced on a defensive blunder and beat goalkeeper Cassar but Bernard Sciberras saved his side with a goal-line clearance.

With 15 minutes left, San Ġwann were reduced to ten men when Chris Cuschieri received his marching orders for dissent.

However, it was the Saints who went close to taking the lead but Lee Cumbo's free-kick was saved by Cassar.

Pietà scored the winner on the stroke of time when Martin Deanov's cross caused a melee in the San Ġwann box and Shead profited by hammering the ball home.

San Ġwann
J. Spiteri, D. Debono, L. Cumbo, M. Caruana, C. Giordemaina, A. Zahra (R. Newell), A. Borg, S. Hili, C. Cuschieri, F. Aboulezz (R. Sell), R. Brincat (R. Zammit).

Pietà Hotspurs
I. Cassar, J. Delia (G. Goodlip), B. Sciberras, M. Deanov, S. Ciscaldi (T. Vella), C. Pulo (Q. Refalo), S. Shead, K. M. Robinson, J. L. Poulangoye, K. Cassar, S. Pace.

Referee: Esther Azzopardi.

Man of the match: Carl Pulo (Pietà).