Sliema W. 1

Floriana 0

Sliema W: M. Camilleri, A. Muscat, B. Said, L. Lombardi, C. Mattocks, D. Doncic, J. Farrugia (A. Mifsud), J. Chetcuti, I. Woods, L. Pernis, S. Giglio

Floriana: R. Gauci, J. Briffa, M. Caruana, I. Azzopardi, C. Cassar, T. Cilia, R. Darmanin (R. Gango-Rtsa), A. Da Silva, M. Brincat (K. Formosa), A. Evi Parker, S. Wellman

Referee: C. Lautier Asst refs: P. Agius, I. Spiteri 4th official: J. Attard

Scorer: L. Pernis

Yellow cards: L. Pernis, I. Azzopardi, A. Da Silva, C. Cassar, C. Mattocks

Player of match: Christian Cassar (Floriana)

TMI top three: 1. T. Cilia 2. C. Cassar 3. A. Muscat

Sliema’s display was far from full bodied but well beyond sufficient for yesterday’s purpose against eternal rivals Floriana from the bottom end of the Championship Pool.

In truth it had taken some time for the leaders to get themselves going and they conceded the initiative for the whole of the first half. It was only in the second that they slightly improved to emerge as winners, courtesy of Pernis’ solitary goal, after a sluggish start.

The win puts them eight points clear over Hibernians and Valletta, the latter with this afternoon’s match against Lija and Pieta respectively in hand, and in a healthy state for the start of the championship’s second phase.

Floriana started strongly and were good during the first half hour, but even though they kept trying to the end, Sliema were the more talented side and made their experience tell. The Greens could have not tried much harder than they did yesterday but they lack the class to live consistently with the top four in the Championship Pool. A place in European competition to satisfy their ambitions, is indeed a tall order.

Sliema were without some key players due to suspension, injury and tactical choice and gave a first start to Camilleri in goal, Mattocks. Lombardi and the returning Woods. Joseph Farrugia was injured shortly before the break and forced to be substituted by Adrian Mifsud.

Despite also missing some regulars such as Baldacchino, Micallef and Gango-Rtsa, Floriana opened with more endeavour than has been the case with recent games, with new boy Evi Parker, snapped up from Marsa, in the centre of operations.

The Greens procured almost all the noteworthy actions of the first 45 minutes which matched the bleak weather at Ta’ Qali. Goalkeeper Gauci remained mostly inoperative.

On 11 minutes they threatened with a Brincat shot, saved into a corner by Sliema’s keeper Camilleri. From the ensuing Cilia flag-kick, Darmanin’s glancing header went tantalisingly wide.

Towards the half hour, on a Cassar short free-kick, Cilia’s powerful shot was saved by the Sliema keeper into a corner.

On 35 minutes, with Floriana dictating the pace, Evi Parker was in the thick of the action when he first passed the ball to the unmarked Cassar who took long to conclude and Evi Parker’s final effort skimmed the upright.

Just before half time, another Darmanin effort was deflected into a corner as Floriana still failed to penetrate the League’s most watertight defence.

Sliema started the second period in more lively fashion and Floriana’s laid back approach enabled them to attack with more fluency although they still showed ineptitude in their passing.

On 57 minutes Muscat’s long range shot was palmed out by keeper Gauci for Doncic to hit the loose ball wide.

But Sliema’s goal was in the air. Hardly a minute later Doncic somehow atoned for that miss as he played a deep cross from the byeline on the right for Lubos Pernis to show some spark in a lifeless attack and head in at the far end, scoring his first league goal for the Wanderers.

Past the hour Sliema contrived to squander another good opportunity as both Said and Pernis failed to connect to Woods’ floating free-kick in front of the Floriana goal.

Floriana, probing for a quick equaliser, ventured forward. Cilia’s rasping diagonal grounder, after a Mattocks’ defensive miss, went inches wide.

At the other end, Doncic was through but was foiled by the keeper and Mifsud put his final shot off target.

The action however slipped away to mediocre levels after that with Floriana losing their composure and much of the early niceties.

It was only in the late stages, and after Formosa and Gango-Rtsa went in as substitutes that the Greens hinted to a late rally. The best they could produce however was a Cassar last ditch effort on the stroke of time, capably saved into a corner by keeper Camilleri to preserve yet another clean sheet.