Marsa-Pieta H. 3-5

If not exactly of the highest quality, this battle of the basement provided plenty of entertainment before Pieta Hotspurs emerged winners, confirming their progress of late.

Eight goals, a penalty miss and two sending offs were the main ingredients of an enthralling match with a dramatic finish.

Despite the sending off of their goalkeeper Hogg towards the half hour, Pieta still looked superior and managed to build a four-goal lead which until 20 minutes from time looked unassailable.

Then Marsa made a remarkable late comeback, thanks to an Andrew Scerri hat-trick which, however, did not prove enough to salvage anything out of a match which had seemed lost before the hour.

Closing at 4-3, Marsa were dealt the fatal blow on the stroke of time for the Hotspurs to make sure of three important points.

Marsa, who had failed to score in their previous two matches, were handicapped by the absence of the suspended Cucciardi but included Gilbert Martin. Probably not fully fit, he stayed only 40 minutes on the pitch, just enough to procure a penalty for his side on the half hour when Marsa were already trailing 1-0.

Scerri put Martin clear inside the area and the Pieta keeper Hogg, rushing out to block, floored the Marsa striker to concede the penalty and get himself sent off by the referee.

It took some time for reserve keeper Vella to take his place between the goal, substituting Kokavessis, and saving Yanchev's penalty kick to deny Marsa an equaliser.

In fact Pieta were already in the lead as they forged ahead after 18 minutes. The enterprising Deanov did all the work on the left, sent a low cross from the byeline for Dylan Kokavessis to tap in from close range.

Marsa failed to exploit their numerical superiority and Pieta continued to dominate the proceedings to the extent that they doubled their lead five minutes before the break. Rumen Galabov galloped from midfield and beat keeper Debono with an inswinging shot from inside the area to give the Hotspurs a comfortable cushion by halftime.

Pieta continued to pile up the goals after the interval. Hardly two minutes after the restart, Galabov beat Cutajar's challenge to play a perfect through ball for the advancing Martin Deanov who could not fail to beat the keeper with a diagonal low shot.

The game seemed all wrapped up for the Hotspurs when they scored their fourth on 56 minutes, again through Martin Deanov, who shot in the loose ball after Refalo's effort was palmed out by the keeper.

Marsa were also reduced to ten men four minutes later when Zammit was sent off for a second bookable offence, following a crude tackle on Sammut.

Pieta, who thought that they had their work finished, idled a bit and even substituted Camenzuli.

Unfortunately they lost their composure at the back and allowed their opponents to pull three goals back within ten minutes, with Andrew Scerri scoring a hat-trick in the process. Marsa's remarkable comeback started with Scerri's goal on 69 minutes, exploiting Pieta's hesitant moment and short defensive clearance.

Pulo twice missed opportunities for Pieta as he first shot over Deanov's inviting pass and then was denied by Marsa's reserve keeper Spiteri, before Andrew Scerri struck twice for Marsa within a minute to reduce the arrears to 4-3 with ten minutes remaining.

He shot past Vella on Dalli's pass on 77 minutes following Yanchev's surge forward and a minute later he ran past the Pieta defence with alarming ease to conclude with some clinical finish.

Marsa's hopes were raised, but only shortly. After near misses by Deanov and susbstitute Goodlip, Pieta struck on the break on the stroke of time. Deanov played the ball square to the advancing Silvan Ciscaldi to seal Pieta's win with a low drive.

Marsa: J. Debono (R. Spiteri), G. Bencini, K. Scerri, K. Cassar, S. Cutajar, N. Fasinelli, E.Yanchev, J.P. Zammit, V. Bellia (R. Micallef), G. Martin (J. Dalli), A. Scerri

Pieta H: A. Hogg, C. McKay, B. Sciberras, M. Deanov, Q. Refalo, C. Pulo (G. Goodlip), C. Sammut, D. Camenzuli (S. Ciscaldi), S. Kondev, R. Galabov, D. Kokavessis (M.Vella)

Referee: A. Zammit Asst.refs: J. Camilleri, M. Debono 4th official: K. Azzopardi

Scorers: D. Kokavessis, R. Galabov, M. Deanov (2), A. Scerri (3), S. Ciscaldi

Yellow cards: R. Galabov, G. Bencini, M. Deanov, J.P. Zammit, J. Dalli

Red cards: A. Hogg, J.P. Zammit

Player of the match: Martin Deanov (Pieta H)

TMI top three: 1. M. Deanov 2. R. Galabov 3. A. Scerri