nov 12 2006 10:41

BIRZEBBUGIA TIGERS vs GZIRA UNITED 5 - 3

Birzebbugia Tigers earned their second win from two matches when they beat newly promoted Gzira United in an eventful match 5-3. The Tigers have now climb to first place in the table together with Cospicua St Thomas on 4 points. Ronnie Celeste scored his second consecutive hat-trick and now takes his goal tally up to 6 goals in two matches.

The Tigers, today in their green shirt, began the match with quite a depleted formation but after a few seconds they almost got in front when from a R.Celeste low cross, A.Caruana missed the ball completely from few metres away. Seconds later Gzira went ahead when the Tigers' defence failed to clear a long ball thrown into their penalty area and T.Naudi deflected past P.Celeste from close range. On the 7th minute mark, the Tigers drew level when A.Caruana served with a precise pass the agile R.Celeste who unmarked in the penalty area beat D'Agostino with a low shot. The match continued to be a balanced affair but after 18 minutes Birzebbugia surged ahead for the first time when from a Thornton corner, Albert Caruana connected with the ball and with a powerful header beat the helpless Gzira goalie. The joy was short-lived as the Tigers' rearguard was caught napping after a long throw-in and C.Sciberras equalised with a header.

The second half saw Birzebbugia Tigers begin vehemently in order to regain the lead and barely a minute had passed when Carabott Damato's low drive from outside the penalty area whisked past the upright. The Tigers were rewarded for their efforts when after 4 minutes Thornton served Ronnie Celeste who speeded past a bewildered Gzira defence and put Birzebbugia again in the lead. The gap was widened furthermore after 7 minutes when Paul Carabott Damato's right-footed diagonal shot from outside the penalty area finished in the bottom corner of the net. D'Agostino stopped without difficulty a Thornton freekick from twenty metres out, and soon afterwards Gzira reduced the arrears, when the referee judged defender A.Agius to have handled the ball in his own area and from the penalty spot Barbara beat Celeste. Thornton could have restored the two goal lead but after being served by Caruana his shot finished disappointingly against the crossbar. P.Celeste denied Gzira twice from scoring with two fine saves. On the other end Ronnie Celeste sealed a 5-star performance when he scored his third goal after a swift counterattack. The win could have been made more emphatic if it was not for two clear chances that the same Celeste squandered from comfortable position towards the end of the match.

Line-up: 88. Paul Celeste; 4. Matthew Scicluna, 8. Clayton Xuereb, 5. Mark Migneco, 2.Anthero Agius; 7. Matthew Axiaq, 3. Paul Carabott Damato, 6. Stefan Schwienbacher (17. Matthew Mangion), 11. Albert Caruana (15. Peter Cachia); 9. Ronnie Celeste, 10.Edmond Thornton