St Lawrence Consolidate Their Leadership

GFA BOV GFL Division II                                                                Kercem Ajax Stadium

St Lawrence S           :           4          (M.S. Telessi 10’, 66’; C. Mercieca 26’, J. Portelli 73’)

1. Fenech, L. Buttigieg, S. Mizzi, M.S. Telessi, C. Cauchi, J. Grima, J. Portelli, J. Portelli (J. Theuma), D. Micallef, C. Mercieca, C. Tabone (M. Mamo), L. Attard (J. Micallef).

Qala S                         :           1          (B. Meilak 90+3’pen)

1. Buttigieg, M. Pace, J. Rapa, F. Mumford, S. Sillato, B. Meilak, W. Cassar (S. Dimech), J. Buttigieg, L. Meilak, C. Caruana (S. Spiteri), D. Zamora.

St Lawrence Spurs started their commitments in the fourth and final round of the campaign earned the full points at stake with a convincing win over bottom placed Qala Saints.  The Spurs paved the way to the victory with two goals scored during the first half so that they administered play after the break and made sure of the convincing win with other goals scored during the second period.  Qala suffered St Lawrence’s play and never seemed in a position to recover the deficit.  With this result the Spurs took sole leadership on the table with a three point lead over their main challengers for promotion Gharb Rangers, although the latter have a game in hand.

Qala tried to surprise their more quoted opponents and in the fifth minute of play they could have opened the score but a strike by Dario Zamora ended high.  St Lawrence opened the score in the tenth minute of play when Charlon Tabone passed to an unmarked Mohammed Senussi Telessi just outside the area and the latter fired in goal and out of the reach of goalie Franco Buttigieg.  On 15 minutes a shot by Jason Portelli ended inches away from Qala’s goal and on 26 minutes the Spurs doubled the score through a fine header by Charles Mercieca following a free kick by Jason Portelli.  St Lawrence continued to dictate matters and on 41 minutes they were again dangerous through a shot by Mohammed Senussi Telessi that ended just high.

In the fourth minute of play of the second period the same Mohammed Senussi Telessi was unlucky when his low shot following a personal action was stopped by the post.  Qala tried to produce offensive play but they found it very difficult to create danger within St Lawrence’s area.  The Spurs on the other hand continued to threaten Qala’s rearguard and on 63 minutes a low shot by Christopher Cauchi from a good position ended wide.  St Lawrence scored their third goal on 66 minutes through a header by Mohammed Senussi Telessi following a corner kick by Jason Portelli.  On 73 minutes the Spurs added another goal through a shot form close distance by Jason Portelli following a corner kick by James Grima.  Qala had their best scoring opportunities during the final stages of the encounter.  On 79 minutes St Lawrence’s defender Daniel Micallef hit badly a corner kick by Brian Meilak and the ball was stopped by the crossbar with the goalkeeper beaten and two minutes later St Lawrence’s keeper was called to make a difficult intervention to turn to a corner a strike by Brian Meilak.  On 84 minutes St Lawrence’s goalie managed to save with difficulty a low shot by John Rapa following a melee in front of St Lawrence’s goal from a corner kick by Brian Meilak.  In the third minute of stoppage time St Lawrence’s goalie Elliott Fenech partially saved a strike by Brian Meilak and from the resultant melee substitute Steve Dimech had two consecutive attempts blocked by the defense and a final shot by Joseph Buttigieg was handled by defender Louis Buttigieg.  The referee awarded a penalty and Qala scored their consolation goal through Brian Meilak’s shot from the spot kick.

Referee: Adrian Caruana