Understrength Floriana, hampered by suspensions to Christian Caruana, Christian Cassar and Trevor Cilia needed just one point to mathematically guarantee safety for another season. In the process they collected three yesterday, beating St George’s with a tennis score and plenty to spare.

By virtue of this defeat, the Saints are now doomed to play First Division football next season, after losing their long fought struggle against relegation.

St George’s last hopes of survival took a nose dive early after the interval. With the score tied at 1-1, they conceded a penalty and had defender Brincat sent off. They even played the last half hour with nine man, after Mizzi’s dismissal and collapsed to concede four more goals.

St George’s made some changes to the side which lost to Pieta last week. Grima returned for the suspended Schembri in midfield as defender Fenech failed to recover from injury and Mizzi was handed a start. Andrea Gatt played in goal instead of regular Paris.

Well aware that only a win would suffice, St George’s started off at gallop and Effiong was twice thwarted by the Floriana keeper Simon Agius, preferred to Camilleri after regaining full fitness, within the first quarter hour.

That is until Floriana settled into the game and gradually were finding rhythm of their own with Gomes and Mifsud creating anxious moments to a rather unstable Saints’ rearguard.

On 21 minutes a Newell central free-kick went narrowly over. Only two minutes later, Conceiciao lost the ball to Pisani inside the area. The latter took advantage to expertly guide the ball from the byeline into the path of the unmarked striker Adrian Mifsud to beat keeper Gatt at the top corner.

St George’s tried to hit back. Lagana’s effort was tipped over the bar by keeper Agius and within five minutes they drew level. Do Nascimento’s curling free-kick from the left thumped against the bar for the alert Johan Spiteri to pounce on the rebound and shoot in from inside the eight-yard box.

Before half time, Floriana looked menacing but failed to penetrate the St George’s defence as they survived with some good fortune. When Conceiciao again failed to clear off Gomes on the left, the Floriana striker played the ball low across the face of St George’s goal but there was nobody to connect.

The match took a twist eight minutes into the second half as St George’s conceded a penalty when Brincat pulled down Micallef inside the area. The Saints’ defender was also sent off, following a second caution as Manolito Micallef himself tucked away the penalty via the underside of the bar.

With a man and a goal down, St George’s task became more of an uphill struggle. Do Nascimento headed Mizzi’s cross wide. On the hour, the Saints were further reduced to nine men as Lawrence Mizzi also received marching orders for blaspheming.

Within three minutes, Floriana took advantage of their numerical superiority as Adrian Mifsud caught the St George’s defence square, rounded the goalkeeper and side footed into the net.

St George’ still found the courage to pull one back on 73 minutes as Alfred Effiong headed in Spiteri’s cross from the right.

But Floriana struck three more times in the late stages, capitalising on the Saints’ defensive fragility. Wendell Gomes robbed Sevasta of the ball on 78 minutes and advanced unhindered to beat the keeper. Two minutes later Angus Buhagiar beat Gatt with a low drive from edge of the area and seven minutes from time, Floriana were awarded another penalty when Buhagiar was floored inside the area for Kurt Formosa to complete the rout from the spot and seal St George’s ill fate on a miserable afternoon.

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St. George’s: A. Gatt, R. Conceiciao, L. Lagana, E. Sevasta, L. Grima, E. Do Nascimento, L. Mizzi, A. Effiong, C. Brincat, J. Spiteri, K. Darmanin

Floriana: S. Agius, R. Newell, R. Gango Rtsa, J. Borg (L. Agius), A. Buhagiar, A. Mifsud (M. Gauci), W. Gomes, M. Micallef (J. Portelli), D. Pisani, I. Azzopardi, K. Formosa

Referee: S. Tanti Asst. refs: A. Camilleri, K. Frendo Cumbo 4th official: A. Azzopardi

Scorers: A. Mifsud (2), J. Spiteri, M. Micallef (pen), A. Effiong, W. Gomes, K. Formosa (pen)

Yellow cards: C. Brincat, L. Grima, L. Mizzi, R. Gango Rtsa, M. Micallef, I. Azzopardi

Red cards: C. Brincat, L. Mizzi

Player of the match: Adrian Mifsud (Floriana)

TMI best three: 1. A. Mifsud 2. I. Azzopardi 3. E. Do Nascimento