League: Tre Penne labour but stay top, first win for Cailungo

The derby with San Giovanni delivers Cailungo their first league win. The match could not have started better for the red-and-greens: Depaoli whips in a corner and Cecconi volleys home with just 63 seconds on the clock. In that short spell, Cailungo had already had another chance through Bua, denied by Pizzolante. On 15 minutes San Giovanni wobble dangerously again: Cailungo break four against three and Valli Casadei’s effort at an open goal is cleared almost on the line by Filippi. San Giovanni knock for the first time on 20 minutes: Zanni connects with an overhead kick but fails to angle his shot, making it easy for Filippo Tordella. At the other end Costa exchanges passes with Bua and forces Pizzolante into another crucial save. From the resulting throw-in Cecconi cushions the ball for Bua, who scores a wonderful overhead-kick goal. On 36 minutes the No. 9 almost bags a brace from another Cecconi lay-off, but this time – with the goal gaping in front of him – he culpably fires off target. Zanni is no more accurate at the end of a counter-attack launched by San Giovanni a minute later. In added time, it takes a brave, timely charge off his line by Pizzolante at Bua’s feet to keep San Giovanni at least within two goals. That resistance, however, crumbles 7 minutes into the second half, when Cailungo find a third goal once again from a throw-in. This time Bua flicks it on and Costa steers it into the net, getting there before both Filippi and Pizzolante. Past the hour mark, Pizzolante misjudges a cross from the right and Zonzini has the chance to finish into an empty net, but completely slices his left-footed effort. The San Giovanni keeper is flawless, instead, when Bua races through hungry for his second: the hands of the Rossoneri No. 1 prevent a fourth. That is effectively where the contest ends. Three goals and three points for Cailungo, who in the table draw level – among others – with their opponents on the day.

Towards the top, Tre Penne catch Folgore again, beating Juvenes Dogana 2-0 to stay perfect, just like the Falciano side. Benedetti, with a header, tries to unsettle the City team, who reply in kind: Colonna shows great reflexes to deny Casadio, set up by Peluso. The opening goal is not long in coming. Juvenes lose the ball in midfield, Casadio immediately sends Pieri through on goal, one-on-one with Colonna, and he finishes coolly. Shortly afterwards, Cecchetti goes close to scoring against his former club, meeting Benedetti’s low cross but firing wide without any real pressure. Juvenes Dogana nevertheless persist in their “rebellion” against the deficit, mainly through long-range efforts from Merli and Giacomo Borghini, both off target. Casadio does hit the target, but his left-footer is straight at Colonna, who gathers without fuss. The most important save of the first half is produced by Andreani just after the half-hour: Benedetti wriggles free of three men and almost reaches the six-yard box; Tre Penne’s keeper reads it early and denies him a clear strike at goal. Once the scare has passed, Tre Penne threaten again down the Scarcella–Peluso axis: a fine cross from the former finds the latter, who miscues his finish. Andreani then has to pull out another top save to keep out Sartini, who had ghosted free on a set-piece delivery. That is the last snapshot of a first half which Tre Penne end with a hard-earned lead. After the restart the league leaders immediately try with Ceccaroli, who wins a ricochet and then attempts to curl in a right-footer, but shoots centrally. Juvenes also probe with curling efforts: in particular Cecchetti, whose right-footed shot just clears the crossbar. Around the hour mark Tre Penne are briefly down to ten for taking too long to make a substitution. Even so, their firepower is undimmed and they are extremely dangerous from a corner: Carrer rises unchallenged and Colonna has to work miracles to keep Juvenes in the game. The reply from the latter also comes from a corner, or rather its second phase: Giacomo Borghini delivers a perfect cross for Benedetti, who heads over. The pressure from the red-white-and-light-blue side does not let up. Twice Amadori tries to bring the Acquaviva match back level: first with a weak turn-and-shot from the edge of the box, then with a volleyed attempt from a left-wing cross. In both cases, without luck. On 70 minutes comes the biggest chance to equalise. Pedini combines with Benedetti, who skips past Sottile and finds himself with a huge target to hit, but he misjudges the power on his left-footed strike and the chance goes begging. Tre Penne threaten again from a corner (Ruiz heads wide) and, on 88 minutes, they finally put Juvenes Dogana away with a penalty converted by Ceccaroli after Carrer had broken free, straight from an Andreani clearance. Giovagnoli tries to keep up with the Tre Penne striker, but ends up tripping him as soon as he enters the area. Ceccaroli does not send Colonna the wrong way, but his shot is precise enough to leave the Juvenes keeper with no chance. Not without suffering, Tre Penne also win their fourth match and head into the break at the very top of the table – albeit sharing the lead.

This is the full slate for Matchday 4 of the league: