vs
2	-	0
53' C.Camilleri 90+3'  M.Camilleri

Xewkija Tigers do the double on bottom place Ghajnsielem to recover from their last league outing and move back into first place on 16 points, three ahead of direct rivals Nadur who however have a game in hand.  Overall Xewkija had a disappointing first half when they could not penetrate a very solid Ghajnsielem back line, but however managed to recover in the second half with an early goal which changed the remainder of the clash.  The Tigers started this match without injured players Joseph Cefai and Martin Hrubsa but had Kiril Dyakov who replaced the Czech defender and Franklee Galea back in the starting lineup.  

The Tigers tried to produce some early pressure on their opponents in the opening stages and on 4 minutes Rodney Buttigieg went close but fired high from an ideal position and from an immediate reply Ghajnsielem's Petriaggi shot wide.  On the quarter of an hour Ghajnsielem's goalie Joseph Grech produced a fine save with the aid of the crossbar to deny Chris Camilleri.  Ghajnsielem went close to open the score on 16 minutes when Rivellino Petriaggi went through the Xewkija defence but goalie Joseph Grima was out of his area to block the ball on two attempts.  The same goalkeeper made another good save three minutes later when he once again blocked another Petriaggi counter break and kept his side into contention.  Xewkija were then dangerous on 27 minutes with a header by John Camilleri which ended high and ten minutes later the same Camilleri saw his double effort blocked, first by an Ghajnsielem defender and then by goalie Grech.  Then three minutes from half time Ghajnsielem's David Debattista cleared off the line an effort by Rodney Buttigieg after having gone past goalie Grech to keep the score anchored on 0-0.

In the second half the Tigers were far much better when Elton Vella took his position in front of the defence and things seemed different fromthe beginning.  On 53 minutes a run from the right hand side by Rodney Buttigieg was halted by Ghajnsielem defender Patrick Camilleri in the box and the referee had no other choice but to order a penalty kick which was coolly converted by Chris Camilleri to give the Tigers the lead.  Ghajnsielem failed to produce a decent reaction and on 59 minutes Kiril Dyakov went close from a direct free kick which saw the Blacks' goalie rooted to the spot.  The game could have had a vital turnaround when on 68 minutes Xewkija's John Camilleri was shown his second yellow card for a hands ball and the Tigers were reduced to 10 men.

However Ghajnsielem still found it hard to recover and they only went close on 75 minutes with a Charlton Tabone header which ended high.  Two minutes later Xewkija replied through a shot by Chris Camilleri which was saved without problems by goalie Grech.  On 78 Ghajnsielem were dangerous again but Jason Portelli's free kick ended high with goalie Grima under control.  The Tigers then sealed the issue in the third minute of stoppage time when substitute Mark Camilleri took the ball away from goalie Grech near the corner flag and tried his luck from that position with the ball ending in the back of the net.

Last Updated ( Monday, 26 December 2011 22:30 )