Floriana: M. Camilleri, D. Pisani, R. Gango Rtsa, R. Newell (A. Buhagiar0, M. Caruana, C. Cassar (A. Mifsud), C. Caruana, T. Cilia, M. Micallef, W. Gomes, I. Azzopardi

Marsa: J. Debono, E. Yanchev, N. Fasinelli, K. Cassar, D. Vella, K. Scerri, C. Achokwa, J. P. Zammit, V. Bellia, G. Martin (D. Cucciardi), A. Scerri (W. Chircop)

Referee: I. Miller Asst.refs : A. Camilleri, G. Barbara 4th official: A. Arciola

Scorers: W. Gomes pen, W. Chircop, V. Bellia, A. Mifsud

Yellow cards : J. P. Zammit, C. Cassar, N. Fasinelli, W. Gomes, C. Achokwa, R. Newell, T. Cilia, K. Cassar

Red card: C. Caruana

Player of the match: Gilbert Martin (Marsa)

TMI top three: 1. V. Bellia 2. J. P. Zammit 3. M. Micallef

Floriana were spared another defeat yesterday when striker Adrian Mifsud, who had come in as a second half substitute, scored the equaliser after the Greens were trailing bottom side Marsa in the Relegation Pool.

Floriana’s performance was once again far from convincing as they tried to win back their spurs, and put their minds at rest, following their reverse against Pieta Hotspurs.

Floriana failed to turn their ample possession into goals and should have done really better for the many chances they carved. They also committed dreadful mistakes at the back, and nearly paid the penalty.

Hard working Marsa were close to clinching their first win of the season as they played with caution, never allowing their opponents comfort on the ball and also took their chances well. They were in fact leading 2-1 until 20 minutes from time, only to succumb to Floriana’s equaliser.

Floriana did most of the running during the first 45 minutes but Marsa came up with a threat of their own as well.

Floriana could have scored at least a goal, were it not for some profligacy by their players in front of the Marsa goal. They raked several crosses from both flanks, but were almost all unproductive against the tall presence of Yanchev, Cassar and Vella in the Marsa backline.

Floriana were most dangerous whenever they played the ball on the ground, trying to carve openings inside their opponents’ watertight defence. When Cilia found the space after 20 minutes, he blasted the ball over. Towards the half hour, Christian Cassar played a long ball to Gomes, who headed it down for the advancing Cassar to shoot but keeper Debono did well to block his effort on the ground.

Marsa also looked menacing whenever they ventured into enemy territory. Kevin Scerri’s shot was tipped into a corner by keeper Camilleri and on 36 minutes, Martin’s squeezed shot earned Marsa another corner.

But on a Floriana fast break by Pisani, Cassar’s shot was blocked into Gomes’ path, who narrowly missed the target.

The second half was more eventful. Floriana broke the deadlock after only three minutes when they were awarded a penalty, after Micallef was tripped by Kevin Scerri, which Wendell Gomes tucked away to give the Greens the edge.

Their lead lasted only five minutes though. Bellia’s splitting pass to Martin beat Floriana’s square defence and when the Marsa striker sent a low cross, Warren Chircop ran unhindered at the far end to steer the ball in.

Soon Floriana put in Adrian Mifsud for Cassar. The latter looked most displeased with the substitution and even threw off his jersey towards the bench as he made his way straight to the dressing room.

Floriana spurned a couple of chances through Gango Rtsa and Azzopardi before Marsa capitalised on the Greens’ sloppy defending when failing to clear a Marsa attack and were finally punished with a Victor Bellia strike on 65 minutes.

Marsa’s flickering hopes of clinching their first league win of the season, were spent out 20 minutes from time as Floriana clinched an equaliser courtesy of a headed Adrian Mifsud goal from Cilia’s corner kick, before the match degenerated into a scruffy, bad-tempered affair with no less than eight players going into the referee’s note book.

Christian Caruana was also sent off for a crude tackle in the dying minutes after Floriana had fluffed yet another good scoring opportunity when Gomes failed to put his header on target on Mifsud’s perfect cross, when hampered by Vella’s challenge.