Dibola the hero as Senglea oust Nadur in FA Trophy

Nadur Youngsters       2

Barbosa 33 pen.

Xuereb 38

Senglea Athletic 3

Dibola 16 pen., 48, 62

Nadur Youngsters

S. Sultana, M. Tabone (L. Atzori), L. Tabone, I. Xuereb, R. Soares, M. Barbosa, C. Camilleri, G. Muscat (M.P. Camilleri), E.  Bruno Domingos (O.P. Bugeja), C. Debono, J. Santos Silva.

Senglea Athletic

A.J. Zammit, S. Uyi, Z. Cassar, A. Abela, F. Gnindokponou, I. Misan, D. Fava, L.C. Riascos (D. Kukic), J. Dibola, D. Xuereb (S. Buhagiar), W. Gomes (J, Tanti).

Referee: Daniel Portelli.

Red card: Soares (N) 80.

Sengea Athletic came from behind to overcome Gozitan champions Nadur Youngsters in a five-goal thriller at the Gozo Stadium and progress to the Last 16 of the FA Trophy.

The match was well contested during the first half but Senglea took supremacy for most of the second period with Junior Dibola taking centre stage when netting a hat-trick.

However, the Cottonera side failed to make the most of their numerical advantage late on, with the result that they had to fend off Nadur’s late charge.

Senglea took the lead on 16 minutes when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Luke Tabone on Freud Gnindokponou. Dibola stepped up to convert from the spot.

Nadur gradually came more into the picture and started to pile up the pressure on Senglea.  

Five minutes later Senglea goalkeeper Andrew Joseph Zammit floore and on 34 minutes Marcelo Barbosa levelled the score from a penalty awarded for a foul by the goalkeeper Andrew Joseph Zammit on Jorge Santos Silva.

Nadur turned the result in their favour when Ian Xuereb put them ahead on 38 minutes.

Senglea came out more determined for the second period and on 48 minutes Junior Dibola made it 2-2 with a low shot from outside the area. 

Senglea kept command of play and managed to restore their lead on 62 minutes when Dibola latched onto Jan Tanti corner kick to head home.

More woes hit Nadur on 80 minutes when Soares was dismissed for a second bookable offence. 

Despite being a man down, Nadur tried to rescue the match and were unlucky not to force extra-time when late on Santos Silva’s shot was cleared off the line by defender Alan Abela.