Oratory Youths Move out of the Relegation Zone

GFA BOV GFL Division I                                                                             Gozo Stadium

Oratory Y                   :           4          (E.F. Da Silva Santos 10’, 15’, 82’; A. Debrincat 38’)

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

SK Victoria W :           0

1. Towns, C. Sciortino, A.G. Attard (N. Vella), M. Azzopardi, S. Draskovic, D. Mercieca, J. Refalo, P. Djordjevic, I. Xuereb, J. Attard, M. Raskovic..

Oratory Youths obtained three precious points from a convincing win in the derby match against SK Victoria Wanderers and practically made sure of avoiding the second place from the bottom.  Oratory scored three goals during the first period and defended their comfortable lead after the break so that they denied their opponents from re-opening the issue.  Although Oratory’s win was a result f a collective effort, their Brazilian striker Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos was the protagonist for his side by scoring three of the four goals.  With this result the Youths may aim to improve another position on the table while the Wanderers practically compromised the possibility to avoid the play-off against relegation.

The Youths could have opened the score in the fifth minute of play but a header by Bartomeu Perello Palou from a cross by Borja Polo Longarela hit the crossbar.  On 10 minutes Oratory opened the score when Victoria’s rear guard failed to clear a corner kick by Bartomeu Perello Palou and Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos pushed the ball into an open goal form close distance.  The wanderers were shocked and on 15 minutes the Youths doubled the score through a close ranged header by Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos following a cross by Borja Polo Longarela.  One minute later a low shot by Oratory’s Bartomeu Perello Palou was neutralized by goalie Matthew Towns and two minutes later the Wanderers lost a golden scoring opportunity when Chris Sciortino turned around Oratory’s goalie outside the area but his shot towards an open goal ended wide. On 25 minutes Oratory also lost a good scoring opportunity when Bartomeu Perello Palou entered Victoria’s area but from his low cross Andrea Debrincat hit badly from close distance, the ball was stopped by the post and goalie Matthew Towns saved the danger.  On 33 minutes Oratory’s Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos had a good shot that was saved by goalie Matthew Towns and five minutes later Oratory increased their lead through a shot from an angled position by Andrea Debrincat following a free kick from long distance by Bartomeu Perello Palou.

The Wanderers tried to produce a reaction after the break but their play was not well organized and Oratory’s rear guard administered play with authority.  On the hour mark the Wanderers protested for a penalty following a melee inside Oratory’s area from a corner action and on 67 minutes the Wanderers could have reduced the score but a strike by Ian Xuereb was saved by goalie Leonard Camilleri with the aid f the post and Javier Polo Longarela cleared the danger from the goalmouth.  One minute later the Wanderers were reduced to ten players when Joseph Refalo was sent off for a second bookable offence and on 72 minutes Oratory’s keeper once again denied his opponents form scoring with a fine intervention following a shot from close distance by Chris Sciortino.  On 77 minutes a shot by Victoria’s Ian Xuereb following a corner action ended high and two minute later Oratory’s Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos entered Victoria’s area but goalie Matthew Towns had a good intervention and denied the Brazilian striker from concluding in goal.  The same goalkeeper was called to make a good save one minute later when he blocked to a corner a low shot by Bartomeu Perello Palou.  Oratory however sealed the victory on 82 minutes through a tap-in by Everton Felipe Da Silva Santos following an initiative by Bartomeu Perello Palou.

Referee: Eman Grech