League Play-Off

Spinola
Spectators: 37 (Terracing: 29, Seating: 8, VIP seats: 0) Pierre Mumford started the match with the kick off in front of an excited audience. The referee blew the whistle for a penalty in the 4th minute of the game. One of Gudja Athletics:s players had nearly got his shirt torn off by an opponent while getting free in front of Marsa whitestars:s goal. When the match had been going on for 6 minutes, Marsa whitestars's Tony Montesin got an opportunity to shoot a penalty. He stayed cool and waited for the goalkeeper to move, before he confidently shot the ball into the goal, to the left of Brandon Ventura. After a rather tough play, Marsa whitestars's Godwin Bonnici got a free kick in the 12th minute. After 25 played minutes Marsa whitestars got a freekick which was hit by Tim Coleiro. Stanley Vancell, 26 minutes into the match, dribbled the ball up the side of the field and decided to take a long shot at the goal. Unfortunately, the ball was poorly hit and landed closer to the corner than to the goal. Saviour Farrugia received a nice pass in the box and took a hard shot in the 29th minute. Clayton Fava tensed up and prepared to dive, but the shot went over the goal with him having to interfere. Luke Darmanin sent away a hard shot on goal in the 32nd minute, but the ball went just over the crossbar and out. A very good chance. Tim Coleiro charged in rather forcefully in the 46th minute of the match, and managed to knock his opponent down. The referee showed Tim Coleiro the yellow card, and asked the players to shake hands before continuing play. The supporters of Gudja Athletics booed when Marsa whitestars was adjudged a doubtful freekick after 46 match minutes in a wonderful position. Tim Coleiro didn't get a good kick on the ball. Marsa whitestars's Clayton Fava played magnificently when he managed to stop the ball from hitting the goal, after a sharp shot by Saviour Farrugia in the 47th minute of play. All the noise was coming from the home fans when the whistle went for half-time. The home team had fought hardest to put themselves in a deserved lead.

Both teams looked relatively alert before the second half when the referee blew his whistle to tell Saviour Farrugia to make the kick off. If Pierre Mumford had kept his shot down it would have been a goal in the 52nd minute. The ball went over the crossbar instead. 55 minutes into the game, Roderick Fava was given a yellow card after he appeared to trip an opposing player. Gudja Athletics's manager was livid on the sidelines, but the referee was unmoved and gave Marsa whitestars the free kick. Luke Darmanin might have been able to make a better finish in the 57th minute when he tried to place a hard shot over Brandon Ventura. Instead the ball went over the crossbar and out. Luke Darmanin ran back to his position shaking his head. Luke Darmanin scored 2-0 in the 59th match minute with a shot that went into the goal to the right of Brandon Ventura, who was just a little too slow in reacting to the shot. After 63 minutes of play, Gudja Athletics's Mike Guerriera made it 2-1 when he simply outclassed the defender marking him and hit a curling shot into the right side of the net. Clayton Fava was left in no man's land by his defense there! Luke Darmanin's shot was meant for the net just under the crossbar, but Brandon Ventura read the situation well and was quickly in position to make a wonderful save in the 67th minute of play. 73 minutes into the match, Luke Darmanin notched a goal, 3-1, to the right of Gudja Athletics's Brandon Ventura. Brandon Ventura was clearly disgusted with the effort of the defense and let the defenders know about it. After some fancy dribbling in the 79th minute, Saviour Farrugia managed to get in a good position for a shot. Gudja Athletics's supporters rose to their feet, but Saviour Farrugia was a bit off balance and shot the ball just wide of the left post. Clayton Fava breathed a sigh of relief and went to take the goal kick. In the 84thth minute of the game Pierre Mumford who was perfectly placed tried to make a shot on goal, but Gudja Athletics's Brandon Ventura was lucky and managed to grab hold of the ball. The referee felt a red card was in order, 86 minutes into the game, when Godwin Bonnici put in a rough tackle. In the 94th minute Saviour Farrugia shot on, it seemed, an open goal, but Clayton Fava saw the ball coming and threw himself on it before it passed the goal line. Marsa whitestars's Clayton Fava proved his good apprehension of play when he, in the 97th minute of the match, managed to save Marsa whitestars from getting a goal against them. Marsa whitestars's fans were exulted and cheered after their team won in a match that could easily have gone the other way.