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HAM

The Hunters Tower Rest YS move to the top of the hockey National League when they brushed aside the challenge of reigning Champions Punch & Judy Rabat with a clear 2-0 victory. In Sunday's second game Sliema Hs kept on the heels of the two front runners when they beat Pasta Poiatti 1-0 thanks to a first half penalty goal.

The Hunters Tower Rest YS 2 vs. Punch & Judy Rabat 0
H.T. 2-0
Umpires: Anthony Tabone and Reno Cremona

Punch & Judy Rabat came into this game on the back of three impressive and high-scoring games in which they had scored fifteen goals and conceded just two. The Hunters Tower Rest were also unbeaten but had dropped two points against Sliema Hs. They were, however, coming from a convincing victory against The George Pub. For this game they were at full strength, with skipper Charles Micallef back in the starting eleven following his recovery from the injury that had left him out of The George Pub match. Punch & Judy were without defensive lynch-pin Falzon and were forced to leave the half-fit midfield schemer Kevin Micallef on the bench.

Young Stars quickly got their rhythm going and the constant running of their forwards was giving problems to the rather static and at times disorganised Rabat defence. Punch & Judy could not get their usually flowing attacking game going as The Hunters Tower Rest kept an almost constant pressure. Despite all this, however, Young Stars only took a one goal into the half-time break courtesy of a penalty goal scored by Charles Micallef. The penalty was awarded following an infringement by Chris Bugeja.

Punch & Judy brought in Kevin Micallef for the second half but it was obvious that he was not at his best and his contribution was minimal. The Hunters Tower Rest remained the better sided and deservedly scored their second goal through Edward Hughes. Rabat tried to get something out of the game but on the day they were forced to play second fiddle to a better side and Young Stars deservedly took the three points that took to the top of the standings.

Sliema Hs 1 vs. Pasta Poiatti Qormi 0
H.T. 1-0
Umpires: Andre Ghigo and Joe Lewis

Together with The Hunters Tower Rest, Sliema Hs remain the only unbeaten side and with Sunday's victory they moved up to third place, three points less then the leaders but with a game in hand. On Sunday they were without Keith Vella and kept the injured Caruana Smith on the bench. Pasta Poiatti, who lost the services of the two foreigners that were so effective during the Challenge Cup, presented their usual formation based around Reuben Chircop in defence, Bianchi in midfield and Magri in attack. The game had moments of good hockey and others of useless bickering between the players that interrupted the rhythm of the game. Over all Sliema Hs deserved their victory especially on their first half performance.

The early stages saw Sliema's attackers miss a couple of chances but midway through the half they got the all important goal, when following a period of sustain pressure they were awarded a penalty that Liam Pace neatly put away with a flick to the top corner. Pasta Poiatti tried to make a reaction but with Magri ably muzzled by Keith Scicluna and the Sliema Hs defence in general, Qormi's attack had few options and Mallia was rarely tested. At the other end Chircop in the Qormi goal made a couple of good saves to keep his team in the game right till the end.

Following these matches the league table is as follows:

P W D L F A PTS
The Hunters Tower Rest 4 3 1 0 8 2 10
Punch & Judy Rabat 4 3 0 1 15 4 9
Sliema Hs. 3 2 1 0 4 1 7
The George Pub 3 1 0 2 5 9 3
Celtics YS 3 0 0 3 2 10 0
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 3 0 0 3 0 8 0

Top Scorer: Josef Antonelli (Punch & Judy) - 7 goals.

The League continues on Sunday with the two top teams having a rest day. In the first match the two bottom sides, Celtics YS and Pasta Poiatti, will be all out to get their points tally going. Pasta Poiatti will also be looking for their first goal. In the second match Sliema will be looking towards maintaining their positive start to the season when they face The George Pub. The latter have been decimated by injuries this year and the lack of experience of their younger players sometimes comes to the fore but their skipper David Agius and forward Luke Busutill Leaver (an ex-Sliema Hs player) can provide a formidable threat. The Sliema defence is forewarned.

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