Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/655581
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 MARCH 2016 Sport 54 FOOTBALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Tarxien hold on to three points despite late scare Tarxien Rainbows ....... 3 St Andrews ................. 2 DESPITE a jittery finale, Tarx- ien Rainbows hung on to a nar- row victory against St Andrews to consolidate the sixth place, opening a 10-point lead over their closest rivals Mosta. The win was Tarxien's second on the trot while for St Andrews, this was a second consecutive defeat which leaves them joint- second from bottom. The Rainbows took the lead on the 16th minute when Carlos Menendez Hevia put Luke Mon- tebello through and the power- ful striker beat goalkeeper Jake Galea with a strong shot from inside the box. Tarxien doubled the score on the 27th minute thanks to Tris- ton Caruana whose formidable free-kick from 30 yards stunned the St Andrews goalkeeper. The Saints pulled one back six minutes from half-time when Joseph Farrugia served a corner from the left and the Ameri- can striker Michael Johnson smacked a low shot past Andrea Cassar. Despite the setback Tarxien quickly made amends and re- stored their two-goal cushion on the cusp of half-time when Montebello chipped the ball past Galea for his 11th strike of the season. After a slow start to the second half, the game came to life in the dying minutes when referee Es- ther Azzopardi ordered a penal- ty after Tarxien substitute Mat- thew Tabone fouled Oseghale in the box. Joseph Farrugia duly converted from the penalty spot to set up a tense final but the Rainbows held on to a precious victory. ST. ANDREWS Jake Galea, Enmy Manuel Pena Beltre, Dale Camilleri (56' Matteo Desira Buttigieg), Bong Won Che, Kyr- ian Nwoko (78' Liam Grech), Lucky Victor Oseghale, Michel Salomon Wisdom Mba, Joseph Farrugia, Chinatu Francis On- wudinjo, Michael Johnson, Eloy Edu Nkene. Subs not used: Dorian Bugeja, Ja- cob Walker, Nicholas Bradshaw, Wade Moodley, Ryan Sammut. Coach: Jose Borg TAR XIEN Andrea Cassar, Ebi- abowei Baker, Bruno Giglio de Oliveira, Timothy Tabone De- sira, Triston Caruana, Ayrton Azzopardi (56'j John Mintoff ), Carlos Menendez Hevia (88' Roderick Bajada), Luke Monte- bello, Daniel Zerafa, Joao Pedro Oliveira Santos, Claudio Frances (80' Matthew Tabone). Subs not used: Sean Mintoff, Brandon Muscat, Alex Nilsson, Ryan Spiteri. Coach: Jacques Scerri Referee: Esther Azzopardi Assistant Referees: Thomas Debono, David Castillo Fourth Official: Clayton Pisani Yellow Cards: Nkene, Hevia, Cas- sar, Zerafa, Oseghale, Pedrinho, Bruno, M. Tabone Scorers: 16' Luke Montebello, 27'