Melita and Gharghur earn precious point

Melita and Gharghur figured in an interesting draw with both goals scored in the frist twenty minutes of the game. Both sides were smarting from two consecutive defeats and the point earned could be considered a positive result for both teams.

The result is a fair one with both sides doing their best to grab the three points at stake.

Gharghur hit the post in the first half but Melita had the better chances in the second half.

Gharghur forged ahead in their first real attack on seven minutes when Luke Busuttil, one of his side’s best players, passed towards Darren Sciberras who drilled the ball home.

Melita had an immediate reaction and obtained the equaliser on 19 minutes when Singleton passed towards Alan Borg Olivier who fired home with a precise grounder.

Six minutes later Alan Borg Olivier again tried his luck from the edge of the area but his effort was well saved by Valletta.

On 27 minutes Gharghur went close with a William Barbosa freekick that was however blocked in style by melita goalkeeper Grima.

In the dying minutes of the first half melita went close with a Xuereb cross shot that almost deceived the Gharghgur goalkeeper and on the other end the Melita goalkeeper was saved by the crossbar off a shot by Lyden Vella.

The second half was less intense, with Melita however having more of the ball and even having the better scoring opportunities.

Five minutes from the restart a Luke Sciberras effort was well saved by Grima and from the rebound Carlo Gie missed a sitter in front of goal shooting incredibly wide.

On 70 minutes the Gharghur goalkeeper valletta was outstanding with two great saves. He first blocked a fierce drive from Alan Borg Olivier and then dived to save Cornago’s point blank shot from the rebound.

Eight minutes from time Melita almost snatched a dramatic victory when following a melee in front of goal the ball came in Cornago’s path, but the Melita player failed to put the ball at the back of the net with his effort from close range going inches wide.

Melita: N. Grima; J.P. Attard, A. Mizzi, I. Tufegdzic, K. Pace, M. Fenech (M. Cachia), E. Cornago, M. Russo (N. Bradshaw), A. Xuereb, A. Borg Olivier, T. Singleton

Għargħur: Z. Valletta: W. Barbosa, J. Azzopardi, L. Busuttil, M. Fagbeja (J. C. Da Silva), M. Spiteri, L. Galea, J. Briffa, L. Vella, C. Gie, D. Sciberras

Referee: Darko Stankovic