Nadur ease past Kercem

GFA BOV Gozo Football League Division I
Gozo Stadium

Nadur Y : 3 (B. Said 32’. Sh. Attard 37’, D. Dos Santos 84’pen)

M. Muscat, S. Muller, C. Debono (P.P. Camilleri), M. Hyzler, C. Hili, S. Miloskovic, Sh. Attard, Sa. Attard, B. Said (C. Abela), D. Dos Santos, N. Stojanovic.

Kercem A : 1 (A. Mizzi 26’)

J.P. Cassar, D.C. Flores, N. Mercieca, M. Mifsud, A. Mizzi, J.P. Mizzi, M. Perisic, O. Spiteri (J. Grrech), M. Tabone, A. Haska, A. Zammit.

Nadur Youngsters returned to winning ways after two consecutive defeats in the last two matches of the second round of the championship and earned the full points at stake from their opening match of the third round against Kercem Ajax.  Nadur consolidated their second place on the table with this result but they remain ten points away from the current leads on the table.  The match turned out into an intersecting contest where Kercem surprised their opponents during the first minutes of play.  Nadur however turned the result in their favour before half time and defended for most of the second period as Kercem seemed determined to earn at least a point form this match.  Nadur sealed the victory with a third goal that arrived near the end of the encounter to deny Kercem from an opportunity to save the result in the dying moments of the match.

Nadur tried to take command of play during the opening minutes and in the second minute of play Stanimir Miloskovic produced a personal action inside Kercem’s area but ended on the floor flowing a challenge with an opponent but Nadur’s striker was cautioned for simulation.  Kercem replied on 8 minutes through a shot by Alen Haska that ended high and one minute adn as time passed by play took place in the midfield as the two defensive departments prevailed over the respective strikers.  On 26 minutes however Kercem broke the deadlock as Andrew Mizzi entered Nadur’s territory from the right flank with a personal action and opened the score when he netted with a fine shot from an angled position that got a deflection by a defender.  Nadur replied three minutes later through a free kick from long distance by Sandro Muller that was saved to a corner by goalie John Paul Cassar and on 31 minutes the same goalkeeper was called to make a difficult save to neutralise in two attempts a header by Stanimir Miloskovic following a cross by Dewide Dos Santos.  One minute later Nadur levelled the score when Stanimir Miloskovic unmarked Brandon Said inside Kercem’s area and concluded in goal with a fine strike with the ball hitting the crossbar before it ended in goal.  Kercem were shocked and on 37 minutes Nadur turned the result in their favour when Shaun Attard took the ball from a back pass by Kercem’s defence and placed the ball in goal with a fine shot.  In the first minute of stoppage time Nadur were again dangerous when Shaun Attard had a header following a cross by Stanimir Miloskovic that ended wide.

Kercem tried to produce a reaction after the break and they went close to scoring on more than one occasion.  On 49 minutes and effort by Daniel Chayes Flores was well blocked by Nadur’s keeper Matthew Muscat and Nadur replied on 51 minutes through a strike by Charles Hili from outside the area that missed the target.  On 55 minutes Nadur had another good effort by Brandon Said that ended wide and on the hour of play Kercem’s Alen Haska entered Nadur’s area with a personal action but his curling shot missed he target.  Four minutes later the same Haska had another attempt that was saved by goalie Matthew Muscat and on 65 minutes Kercem’s Daniel Chayes Flores concluded over the crossbar from an ideal position.  Kercem’s keeper John Paul Cassar was again called to make a good intervention on 66 minutes to neutralise an effort by Shaun Attard following a pass by Dewide Do Santos and ten minutes later Kercem’s Alen Haska produced another personal action within Nadur’s area but his attempt ended high.  Nadur practically made sure of the victory with the third goal that arrived on 84 minutes from a penalty, awarded or a foul by Manuel Tabone on Stanimir Miloskovic and converted by Dewide Dos Santos.  Kercem went closes to score a consolation goal one minute later but goalie Matthew Muscat made a good save to stop an effort by Daniel Chayes Flores. 

Referee: Alex Johnson