Senglea Athletic 3
St Patrick 0

Senglea pulled off the bottom place of the standings yesterday thanks to their first points of the season after easily disposing of St Patrick 3-0 to bounce back after their previous setback to San Gwann.

With Andrea Bonnici, John Fsadni and Clint Caruana showing patches of class in their play and a solid backline, Senglea confirmed that they have the potential to fight it out for promotion this time.

Their fast moves on both flanks gave Borislav Giorev's side nightmares, especially in the first half. The game then lost much of its early sparkle after the restart with Senglea happy to sit back and work on the counter-break.

Victor Cassar's team forged ahead at their first real threat on the Saints goal. The St Patrick defence failed to clear a Darren Grech cross and Fsadni profited from the situation to bundle the ball home. This was the sixth minute.

St Patrick had a Mark Tanti grounder saved excellently by Elvin Attard but on 22 minutes Senglea doubled their lead.

Another cross created panic inside the Saints box and, once again, Fsadni was on the right spot to slot the ball home - 2-0.

St Patrick tried to hit back but Anizoba's cross-shot finished inches wide. The same Nigerian striker tried his luck soon after but Attard was in position to save. Fsadni had a chance to chalk up a first-half hat-trick but wasted his chance from close in.

St Patrick showed better qualities after the break but only had two efforts on the Senglea goal.

From a Silvio Sciberras free-kick, Failla hit just wide and a late charge down the opponents' half saw Anizoba hitting out.

Senglea rounded up the score five minutes from time when Spiteri dribbled past Zerafa before squaring up to Thomas who kept cool before scoring his team's third goal.

Senglea: E. Attard, D. Grech, F. Dingli, E. Bobolayefa, D. Aquilina, T. Ghirxi, A. Bonnici, A. Imbroll, J. Fsadni (T. Thomas), C. Caruana (L. Attard), A. Spiteri.

St Patrick: F. Azzopardi, B. Bonnici, R. Cassar (C. Failla), A. Buttigieg, M. Zerafa, A. Galea, M. Tanti (S. Sciberras), G. Failla, T. Caruana, C. Anizoba, S. Zerafa.

Referee: Adrian Azzopardi.

Lija Athletic 0
San Gwann 1

Newly-promoted San Gwann provided another surprise in the Division One championship yesterday when they beat Lija Athletic who had won their opening two matches.

After beating promotion favourites Senglea 3-0 and then losing to St Patrick 1-0, Noel Coleiro's San Gwann returned to winning ways, again defying the odds after stopping their more quoted opponents.

This was a drab encounter, however, with San Gwann more concentrated at the back and Lija missing a couple of sitters in the course of the match. Following this upset, it is only Mqabba who have maximum points in the standings.

San Gwann opened the score as early as the seventh minute when Kevin Loughborough nipped in from the blind side to put the ball past Agius in the Lija goal.

Lija tried to stage a fightback but San Gwann were solid in defence. In the 11th minute, a Gordon Camenzuli free-kick saw goalkeeper Chris Cini saving well on the Lija midfielder.

On 18 minutes, San Gwann came near to making it 2-0. Wilfred Spiteri sent in an inviting cross but Loughborough missed the target from underneath the bar.

There was a strong Lija reaction in the second half even though the first real threat on goal came from San Gwann but Adrian Gatt's drive from the edge of the box, finished wide.

Glenn Barry's first-time effort, in the 60th minute, was off the mark and soon after it was Paul Camilleri who blew away another chance for Lija to equalise when he mistimed a Camenzuli cross.

Daddy Okeke then went rushing inside the San Gwann penalty area, beat two defenders but shot well over the top.

There was a superb San Gwann move on 77 minutes when Joseph Achokwuchidi juggled his way inside the Lija box, the ball fell to Gatt whose powerful drive came off the bar.

Eight minutes from time Lija should have equalised when a Mark Deguara long ball found Camilleri unmarked but the Lija striker missed his chance with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Five minutes from time San Gwann had their victory marred with a red card to Chris Cuschieri who was sent off for a second bookable offence.

Lija: S. Agius, D. Okeke, E. Azzopardi (M. Deguara), A. Ellul, G. Lanzon, M. Micallef (G. Micallef), G. Camenzuli, G. Barry, P. Camilleri, B. Spiteri, M. Vella (D. Scerri).

San Gwann: C. Cini, A. Gatt, J. Farrugia, G. Magri, A. Saliba, C. Agius, C. Cuschieri, K. Loughborough (C. Gatt), J. Achokwuchidi (K. Sciberras), W. Spiteri, A. Decesare (R. Caruana).

Referee: Chris Lautier.