Nadur Regain Sole Leadership

GFA BOV GFL DIVISION I
Gozo Stadium

Oratory Y  :        0

Camilleri, K. Borg, J.Polo Longarela, M. Gauci, B. Polo Longarela, K. Farrugia (K. Grima), B. Perello Palou, A. Debrincat (J. Bonnici), D. Azzopardi (J. Attard), E.F. Da Silva Santos, M. Buttigieg.

Nadur Y     :        3       (D. Dos Santos 7’, J. Grima 52’, C. Antunes 56’)

Grima, J. Buttigieg, C. Azzopardi (S. Attard), C. Hili, R. Da Silva, D. Stojanovic, M. Hyzler (M. Zerafa), M. Stojanovic, C. Antunes, J. Grima (C. Debono), D. Dos Santos.

Nadur Youngsters took advantage of the results of the other contenders for the title and obtained three important points from a convincing win over Oratory Youths.  This was Nadur’s fourth win from five championship matches and with the points obtained they are sole leaders on the table.  Nadur paved the way to the victory with a goal scored during the opening stages of the encounter.  The Youngsters had three other attempts during the first period that were stopped by the woodwork and resisted to Oratory’s reaction and practically put their minds at rest from the three points with two goals scored during the opening stages of the second period.  In this match Oratory tried hard to share play with their more quoted opponents and had their chances to re-open the issue particularly during the first period but they failed to capitalise from their best scoring opportunities so that they compromised the possibility to save the result by conceding two goals after the break.

In the second minute of play Nadur could have opened the score but a header by Darko Stojanovic from a corner kick by Dewide Dos Santos was saved with difficulty by goalie Leonard Camilleri.  The Youngsters however took the lead on 7 minutes when Milos Stojanovic entered Oratory’s area and had his shot partially saved by goalie Leonard Camilleri.  From the rebound Dewide Dos Santos took the ball and netted with a low shot.  Oratory tried to produce an immediate reaction and one minute later Bartomeu Perello Palou could have concluded towards goal when Nadur’s keeper hesitated to clear the ball from the area.  On 12 minutes Oratory created a good scoring opportunity through a cross by Perello Palou but Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos headed wide from close distance.  Here minutes later Nadur were unlucky when a direct free kick by Milos Stojanovic was stopped by the crossbar and on 19 minutes Oratory were again dangerous through a free kick by Perello Palou that was saved by Nadur’s keeper Mark Grima.  Nadur were once again denied from scoring the second goal by the woodwork on 20 minutes when a header by Claudio Antunes following a cross by Dewide Dos Santos hit the crossbar.  On 31 minutes Nadur also protested for a penalty when Joseph Grima ended on the floor within the area following a challenge with Oratory’s Manuel Buttigieg and four minutes later Oratory could have levelled the score when Bartomeu Perello Palou came face to face with Nadur’s keeper but the latter managed to block the danger.  On 41 minutes Nadur had another free kick, this time taken by Dewide Dos Santos, that was stopped by the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten.  On 44 minutes Oratory’s Borja Polo Longarela headed wide from close distance following an inviting cross by Bartomeu Perello Palou so that the first half ended with Nadur in the lead.

Oratory went again close to level the score in the third minute of play of the second period but a good strike by Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos was partially saved by goalie Mark Grima and from the rebound Bartomeu Perello Palou concluded wide.  Oratory were punished for the missed chances as Nadur practically made sure of the victory with two goals scored in the space of four minutes.  On 52 minutes the Youngsters doubled the score when a shot by Milos Stojanovic was partially saved by goalie Leonard Camilleri and from the rebound the same Stojanovic unmarked Joseph Grima who placed in goal with a low shot.  On 56 minutes Nadur’s Claudio Antunes entered Oratory’s territory in a counter break and although his lob over the goalkeeper at the edge of the area was deflected, the Brazilian striker took the ball and fired in goal from an angled position.  Oratory seemed shocked and took some time to recover while Nadur reduced their pressure and administered their comfortable lead.  On 66 minutes Oratory could have reduced the deficit but a header by Bartomeu Perello Palou following a cross by Andrea Debrincat ended wide.  Two minutes later Oratory’s goalie Leonard Camilleri was called to make an important intervention to save to a corner a shot from outside the area by Dewide Dos Santos.  The same Dos Santos had another attempt on 75 minutes that ended just wide while Oratory had their last opportunity to score a consolation goal on 86 minutes but substitute Joseph Bonnici had a header from a free kick by Bartomeu Perello Palou that was saved by goalie Mark Grima.

Referee: Anthony Buhagiar