Stripes back on top

Birkirkara joined Hibs at the top of the standings last weekend after a 2-0 win over Mosta while Melita consolidated their third placing albeit after a narrow 1-0 victory over bottom-placed Sta Venera.

Birkirkara have a game in hand. They were always in the driving seat during their match against Mosta.

Catherine Camilleri and Deborah Pisani came face to face with Mosta keeper Karen Camilleri but blasted wide. However, Rebecca D'Agostino did not fail from scoring when she powered her way through on 20 minutes before placing the ball beyond Camilleri's reach.

Birkirkara scored their second goal soon after the restart.

From a free-kick, Chantal Fenech delivered a perfect pass to Camilleri who hit a firm grounder past the Mosta keeper.

Birkirkara had other chances to score again but Mosta could have pulled one back late in the match only for Jane Coates to shoot well out of target from a good position.

In the second match of the day, Melita chalked up their second victory in a row thanks to a last-gasp goal. In their previous match, Melita beat Raiders in the very last minute of the match and on Sunday they hit their winner from the 11-metre spot.

The points, however, were deserved for Melita as they bombarded the Sta Venera goal throughout the entire match only to find goalkeeper Claire Ciappara in fine form to hold them back from scoring earlier in the match.

The Sta Venera defensive line was solid all the way but it crumbled just before the final whistle when Melita's Jackie Ellul Soler was tripped inside the Saints' box. The same Soler sent Ciappara the wrong side from the penalty to give Melita their seventh victory of the season.

Team line-ups

Birkirkara: N. Dimech, A. Scicluna, C. Fenech, S. Sammut, R. D'Agostino, C. Camilleri, M. Zammit (S. Camilleri), D. Pisani, C. Demanuele, E. Agliano, I. Mazzitelli.

Mosta: K. Camilleri, L. Piscopo, V. Deguara (A. Debono), V. Saliba, K. Lia, M. Deguara, T. Fenech (Y. Fenech), A.M. Vella, J. Coates, R. Gatt, F. Sammut.

Sta Venera: C. Ciappara, D. Gatt, O. Cassar, R. Gatt, F. Mangion, S. Vella, G. Fenech, J. Grech, O. Micallef, A. Vella, M. Carabott.

Melita: S. Zammit, D. Allingham, J. Ellul Soler, N. Gauci (M. Zammit), N. Pace, K. Agius Pace, M. Azzopardi (C. Scicluna), D. Micallef, O. Bedingfield (L. Tabone), J. Abdilla, I. Vassallo.

Next fixtures: (Sunday) 9 a.m. Hibs vs Raiders; 11 a.m. Birkirkara vs Rabat.