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HAM

-First Point For White Hart

With two games remaining to the end of the second round the league table has taken on a definite form, with Champions Rabat having a six point lead over their nearest rivals. Funnily enough Rabat were not in action on Sunday but at the end of the day it was they who were smiling as their closest rivals dropped points all over the place. Sliema managed not to score against White Hart who held out for a 0-0 draw and their first point of the season, while Young Stars suffered their second consecutive defeat going down 3-2 to Poiatti Qormi after twice being in the lead.

P W D L F A PTS
Rabat Depiro 7 5 2 0 13 4 17
The Hunters’ Tower Rest. YS 8 3 2 3 11 9 11
Sliema Hs 7 3 2 2 7 6 11
Poiatti Qormi 7 3 1 3 11 11 10
White Hart 7 0 1 6 3 12 1

Following the much-debated game between them, Sliema Hs and Poiatti Qormi were back in action. Sliema Hs coming from a 1-0 victory over Young Stars and Qormi after suffering a 4-1 defeat at the hands of Rabat. Incidentally after much ado, with the HAM executive first deciding for a replay and then overturning this decision, the result of the Sliema – Qormi game is to remain at 1-0.

On Sunday all the goals in the match between Young Stars and Qormi were scored in the second half. The Hunters Tower Rest drew first blood when David Evans concluded a short corner move. The lead did not last long as at the other end ex-Young Stars player, Frank Bugeja blasted in the equalizer from another short corner. Short corner conversions were proving decisive and ten minutes later, Young Stars were once again in front. Once again following a short corner action and this time it was Jonathan Ellul who found the net. Again Young Stars could not hold on to their lead and Frank Bugeja, who seemed to be a man with a mission, was once again on hand to fire in Qormi’s second equalizer. The game could have gone either way although The Hunters Tower Rest seemed to have a slight edge but two minutes from time veteran Bianchi dribbled past a Young Stars defender and sent a rising shot past Mizzi to give all three points to Qormi.

Sliema’s chronic aversion to their opponent’s goal was more then evident in Sunday’s game against wooden spoonists White Hart. In a game which they dominated for long stretches, Sliema created at least half a dozen clear scoring chances which they failed to convert and when they finally found the net in the final minute of the game, the goal by Keith Vella was disallowed as the umpire spotted an infringement inside the crowded dee. For White Hart this was their first point of the season and admittedly they worked hard to get it, crowding their midfield and trying to catch Sliema on the break. With their leading scorer Luke Busutill Leaver being roped in as a midfield player is was evident what Tabone’s game plan was. A plan that, at the end of the day thwarted Sliema and got his team of the mark even though Sliema did their bit to help out.

On Sunday, the second round comes to an end with the last two matches. At 9.00am Poiatti Qormi take on White Hart. The first round match saw Qormi run out 4-0 winners and this time round they should start as favorites again. At 11.00 am, leaders Rabat will be facing Sliema Hs in a game that should go a long way in deciding whether or not the third is going to be mere formality. In the first round Rabat won by a solitary goal.

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