Youngsters join Tigers at the top

Nadur Youngsters 2
Xaghra United 0

Nadur Youngsters won a tricky encounter against Xaghra United to join Xewkija Tigers at the top of the table with 12 points from five matches. Nadur had Anthony Portelli missing, due to suspension, but had Michael Vella (ex-Victoria Hotspurs) making his debut.

Nadur had an excellent start and opened the score after seven minutes through Charlie Attard.

Xaghra were looking to win and move top themselves. They soon recovered from the early setback and went close with efforts by Kalenga Ndayi, Joseph Bartolo and a Domenique Mbueko free-kick.

Youngsters keeper Xuereb, however, was alert to avert all danger.

Nadur dictated matters after the break and Gauci, in the Xaghra goal, was kept busy saving attempts by Ribic, Attard and Vella.

Xaghra squandered a golden chance to level matters in the 71st minute when Silvan Galea failed to connect to an inviting pass from Ndayi with Xuereb beaten.

The Nadur keeper practically rescued his team with a superb reflex save on Ndayi in the fourth minute of added time.

The Youngsters then made sure of the points with a goal by substitute Sam Anthony Cauchi. He hit home after a fine solo move.

Nadur: J. Xuereb, J. Meilaq, M. Vella, J. Camilleri, M. Bonello (P. Buttigieg), M. Portelli, F. Azzopardi (S.A. Cauchi), A. Simoncic, C. Attard, J. Portelli, A. Ribic.

Xaghra: D. Gauci, A. Debono, S. Sultana, J. Bartolo, D. Mbueko, J. Attard, D. Attard (V. Caruana), J. Galea (V. Agius), J. Sultana (J. Bajada), K. Ndayi, S. Galea.

Referee: Anton Zammit.

SK Victoria Wanderers 0
Ghajnsielem 0

SK Victoria and Ghajnsielem shared the spoils in a goalless draw that left them in the bottom two places of the standings. This was the last match from the first round for the two teams. So far, both are without a win.

The match had a promising start but then the two sets of defences started playing tighter, leaving very few spaces for attacking manoeuvres.

Victoria were unlucky in the 41st minute when an effort by Chris Sciortino, following an inviting pass by Stefanovic, hit the bar.

After the break, Ghajnsielem saw more of the ball and in the 51st minute Victoria keeper Mercieca made the best save of the afternoon to hold out an Errol Grima header.

At the other end, Ghajnsielem's Saviour Darmanin blocked a free-kick by Blanco de Castro.

The Blacks were unlucky in the 70th minute when a shot by substitute Tarik Belhaj hit the Wanderers' post and then Grima fired wide with an open goal at his mercy.

SK Victoria W.: M. Mercieca, C. Spiteri, P. Cardona, P. Camilleri, S. Gatt, D. Muscat (K. Azzopardi), L. Blanco de Castro, J. Refalo, C. Sciortino, D. Muscat, N. Stefanovic.

Ghajnsielem: S. Darmanin, J. Scicluna, F. Buttigieg, R. Conceicao, F. Galea (T. Belhaj), J. Buttigieg, B. Meilaq, L. Scicluna, J. Attard, E. Grima (S. Azzopardi), L. Buttigieg (J. Pace).

Referee: Paul Apap.

Division Two

Zebbug Rovers 0
St Lawrence Spurs 3

Scorers: C. Mercieca (36), J. Enriquez (61), O. Abimbola (72).
Red card: J. Mercieca (ZR) 80.
Referee: Mario Apap

Oratory Youths 2
Qala St Joseph 2

Scorers: D. Lautier (OY) 36; I. Umoru (QSJ) 42, 71; O. Nkwocka (OY) 89 pen.
Referee: Sammy Attard.