HAM

Sunday’s two matches produced a surprise result when The George Pub held leaders The Hunters Tower Rest to a 2-2 draw. Coupled with Sliema’s 4-2 victory over Celtics YS, this means that the Sliema Hs and Punch & Judy Rabat are within three points of the leaders with a game in hand. This gap can be closed on Sunday when the leaders are not in action while Sliema Hs face Pasta Poiatti Qormi at 9.00am (the first round ended 1-0 in Sliema’s favour) and Punch & Judy Rabat take on Celtics YS at 11.00am (in the first round the Champions won 5-1).


After last Sunday’s games the league table is as follows:

P W D L F A PTS
The Hunters Tower Rest 8 5 3 0 14 4 18
Punch & Judy Rabat 7 5 0 2 27 8 15
Sliema Hs. 7 4 3 0 12 6 15
The George Pub 8 2 2 4 12 22 8
Celtics YS 7 1 0 6 6 17 3
Pasta Poiatti Qormi 7 1 0 6 3 16 3


Sliema Hs 4 vs. Celtics YS 2
H.T. 3-0
Umpires: Paul Brincat and Joe Lewis

In the first game of the day, Sliema, despite having to reshuffle their formation due to injuries and suspensions, were still good enough to take all three points against Celtics. The Floriana side gave a lacklustre performance during the first half and a ten-minute spell mid-way during the half saw Sliema score three goals without reply. The first one was an opportunistic one from Nicky Cremona; the second was a somewhat fortunate one from Liam Pace while there was nothing fortunate about the third goal scored thanks to an excellent strike from the same Pace.

Reshuffling their formation in the second half, the Celtics gave a better account of themselves, and after a series of short corners, Chris Bugeja reduced the deficit with a well-taken hit. Despite this early second half goal Celtics could not breach the Sliema defence and when Shawn Mifsud was put through on his own before he rounded Abdilla to score Sliema’s fourth, the game was well and truly over. Chris Bugeja, whose commitment to the Celtics cause is commendable, was rewarded with a second goal right on the final whistle.

The George Pub 2 vs. The Hunters Tower 2
H.T. 1-1
Umpires: Liam Pace and Robert Aquilina

In the second game leaders The Hunters Tower Rest had to content with a drawn result against a resilient The George Pub side that, despite their battered squad, must be commended for their commitment (their 7-1 defeat at the hands of Punch & Judy Rabat being an exception). On Sunday they welcomed back Ray Bezzina but this time round it was Reno Cremona who had to take his place on the injury list. Inevitably it was The Hunters Tower Rest who enjoyed mot of the possession but it was The George Pub who took the lead through skipper David Agius. However before the half time it was Chris Attard who restored parity when he concluded a short corner move.

Ivan Magro put the leaders in front when he concluded another short corner move and Young Stars seemed to be heading for all three points. They failed, however, to increase on their lead and in the end they paid dearly. In the final minute of the game, The George Pub were awarded a short corner and Ray Bezzina fired in a strong hit that gave Mizzi no chance and an unexpected point

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