Sannat Lions -2- Nadur Youngsters -1-     

    Nadur Youngsters gave League Leaders, Sannat Lions a good game and the Greens only managed to get the 3 points at stake with 2 defensive blunders by the Youngsters rearguard.  Nadur still missing some key players, tried to get something from this match, but after 2 goals against in the first 35 minutes, it was always going to be an uphill struggle.  At the end Sannat were happy to stay 3 points ahead in the title race with 3 matches to go, with the Youngsters now in the sixth position, a place that means a decider with the second team in the 2nd Division.  The Youngsters striker, Joseph M. Portelli made a brief comeback in this match and hopefully for the Whites, he will be fit again for the next match.

    The match was only 4 minutes old when Sannat won a corner from the left, this created a melee in the Youngsters area, and Rais Sabri, somehow managed to tap the ball into the net from close distance.  This goal settled Sannat who were looking a bit nervous.  Nadur went forward and an A. Simoncic cross failed to reach J. Muscat, who was a bit late.  Another cross by Simoncic was a bit high for the oncoming B. Brajovic’s head.  Sannat were dangerous following another corner taken by S. Brazelino, but was cleared off the fatal line by S. Attard.  S. Sultana was well placed to save a direct free kick by R. Sabri.  From another attack from the left, in the 35th minute, Sannat doubled the score.  It was F. de Andrade that supplied a perfect cross that was missed by the Youngsters defence and John Camilleri, unmarked, had no difficulty hitting the back of the net.  The Whites didn’t give up an tried to create some sort of danger, but their limitations up front were obvious.  Just before half time a B. Brajovic free kick just missed the corner of the post.  Sannat looked comfortable controlling the waves of weak attacks by the Youngsters.
    
    The second half started with a free kick for Nadur, taken by A. Simoncic but Brajovic’s header was soft and easily stopped by P. Galea.  On the 52nd minute, Nadur got back into the match.  A direct free kick by Aleksandar Simoncic was somehow saved by Galea, but the ball finished inside the fatal line.  Encouraged by this goal, Nadur kept moving forward but, as was the fate this season, without much conviction.  Sannat were controlling with easy and were waiting for the Whites inside their own half.  The Greens started to operate with fast breaks and in one of these, they should have increased the score, but F. de Andrade shot ended just wide.  J. M. Portelli made his comeback from injury but something went wrong and he was again substituted not so long after coming on the pitch.  Another cross inside the area by J. Camilleri and J. Meilak risked the own goal in clearing just over the bar.   The Greens continued to press for the 2 goal cushion and a fine fast break between J. Camilleri and F. de Andrade was wasted when the latter shot wide from a very good position.  Soon after, J. Camilleri, unmarked, wasted another good opportunity to close the match.  The final whistle found Sannat leading by 2 goals to 1 and their faithful supporters should feel that this could be their season, while the Youngsters supporters still think that their team could escape relegation.