Exciting draw between Qormi and Hotsticks
Qormi Poiatti 4 Lightshop Hotsticks 4 Umpires: Luke Busuttil Leaver, Raymond Micallef
Hotsticks started this game at a gallop and went into 1-0 lead in the second minute when Ryan George netted.
On 11 minutes they went further ahead when Shawn Grima scored as a result of a penalty corner award.
This stung Qormi into action and after exerting pressure on the Hotsticks’ rearguard, on 20 minutes Keith Calleja pulled one back.
The game, played at a fast and furious pace throughout, provided some of the best hockey seen so far this season.
On 33 minutes Calleja grabbed his second to level the score, the half time whistle blowing with the match deadlocked at 2-2.
No one envisaged the excitement that was to be provided towards the end of the game as both teams probed each other’s defences to gain advantage as the clock ran down.
On 58 minutes Zachary Degiovanni shot Qormi into a 3 -2 lead from a penalty corner action and four minutes later Steve Tanti scored to send Qormi into a 4-2 lead.
On 66 minutes Hotsticks were awarded a penalty stroke and Jonathan Borg saw his shot from the spot saved.
Everyone thought that this would cost Hotsticks the match but they scored two goals in the final minute. Grima scored his second to reduce the score to 4-3 and Steve Portelli then grabbed his team’s fourth with a delightful strike to end the encounter with honours even.
Narrow win for Rabat Rabat Depiro 2 Floriana Young Stars 1 Umpires: Manuel Imbroll, David Agius
Rabat, playing their now customary counter attacking game backed by a well-marshalled defence, went into a 1-0 lead when on 12 minutes Charlot Antonelli shot them ahead, after Young Stars had a penalty corner saved on the dead ball line.
On 28 minutes Mark Camilleri equalised for Young Stars and although they dominated midfield proceedings, at half time the score was unchanged 1-1.
Three minutes into the second half, Antonelli scored his second to send Rabat into a 2-1 lead.
The game opened up as both teams strove to take an advantage as the match wore on.
Young Stars kept pressing hard but did not take advantage of three penalty corner awards and Rabat hung on to register a 2-1 victory in an entertaining encounter.