SILVIO VELLA

Marsaxlokk’s 20th win in the Premier League this season leaves them eight points clear at the top of the table with only three more games to play, after Sliema Wanderers failed to keep up the chase as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Valletta.

Marsaxlokk now need only one more win to be crowned champions – the first league title in the club’s history.

The relegation issue was also decided last weekend – St George’s join Marsa in the First Division next season as Floriana and Pieta retain their Premier status.

On Saturday, Marsaxlokk’s title aspirations looked heading for a damaging setback as they trailed a resurgent Birkirkara side by two goals with less than half an hour remaining.

But the league leaders showed their true mettle and, not for the first time of late, exhibited the resilience of which champions are made. They scored three times in the last 25 minutes for a deserved victory which now puts them even more favourites for the title.

The neutrals might have preferred a Birkirkara win which would have opened the title race wide open, ahead of the direct clash with second placed Sliema Wanderers still on the cards.

But Marsaxlokk, with their strength in depth and myriad of talent, are a consistent side, full of energy, commitment and cohesion.

The return of Andre Schembri after suspension, scorer of a brace against Birkirkara, boosted their offensive play and, complemented by the high work rate of both Frendo and Bogdanovic, it was largely Marsaxlokk who made the chances and played the more inventive football against a Birkirkara defence which never looked truly comfortable.

Never mind Sammut and Garci did not start the match while Doda and Sciberras were left on the bench. Such is Marsaxlokk’s strength in depth.

Daniel Bogdanovic’s goal on Saturday was his 28th for Marsaxlokk this season and he has scored in every game against every opposition in the Championship Pool.

Birkirkara, one of only two sides who managed to beat Marsaxlokk this season, might have harboured championship aspirations of their own in the summer, but were forced to lower their sights a notch or two after the cruelty of winter brought about a drastic loss of form of several key players, injuries deprived them of others and some embarrassing defeats led to the dismissal of their coach.

The advent of spring has surely brought about a revival for the outgoing champions, who should settle gladly for a third place, now that they are also out of the FA Trophy.

Sliema Wanderers lost further ground with the leaders in what looked like their last hope of toppling Marsaxlokk. They started well against Valletta but were unable to finish them off in the first period, when the Wanderers exhibited their best patch. As one of the semi-finalists of the FA Trophy like Valletta, they might have given up hope even before playing the match on Sunday.

Valletta’s form also dwindled in the second phase of the championship. They seem likely to have missed out on third place in the League – what could have been a good achievement by their standards – and their morale is at a low ebb.

After their inept performance against Birkirkara the previous week, the Citizens again looked short of ammunition in the first half against Sliema. They improved somehow in the second half but their equaliser came about almost by accident – a solo clinical finish by their shining beacon on Sunday – Dyson Falzon, who could have even won the game for them in the late stages.

Hibernians beat Msida St Joseph 2-0 to go up to fifth place and leave their opponents anchored at the bottom. Both teams fielded depleted sides as they now concentrate on the coming FA Trophy semi-final clash in a bid to save a disappointing season.

Msida’s early form has deserted them as they keep stuttering in the Championship Pool with only one point out of seven matches.

The team has lost its momentum and often looks disjointed, especially without any of their three foreigners.

And so farewell then to St George’s whose huffing and puffing this season has been admirable and earned friends with their playing style. However for the most part lacked the necessary quality to blow down enough Premier houses. They went down fighting and although last Saturday they were heavily beaten 6-2 by Floriana, after being reduced to nine men, their relegation has been in the air for quite some time, especially after they failed to beat Floriana (in the first game of the second phase) and Pieta Hotspurs the previous week.

The highlights of the season were undoubtedly their win against Hibernians (2-1) and draws against Marsaxlokk (1-1) and Msida SJ (1-1) in the second round of the first phase.

Lacking the required finance and resources, newly promoted teams are once again proving that survival at the top flight is hard. Both St George’s and Marsa suffered the drop after just one season in the Premier League. This may be a point for consideration about the feasibility of a ten-team championship in the Premier League.

Meanwhile Floriana and Pieta have been guaranteed safety for at least another season, even though they hardly looked in any danger with Marsa and St George’s providing the cushion. Whether these clubs’ goals have been met is another matter.

It is up to their respective committees to answer such a question after the usual post-mortem.

Best player

Andre Schembri (Marsaxlokk)

The Malta international returned for the leaders after suspension and scored two very important goals on Saturday in his side’s late comeback to beat Birkirkara 3-2.

His speed, dribble and vision of play always gave the Stripes’ defence uncomfortable moments and he combined these skills with some clinical finish, especially in the first goal which put Marsaxlokk back into the reckoning.

It goes without saying though that Schembri would not have achieved all this on Saturday were it not for the good service he received from team mates Bogdanovic and Frendo.

The scorers

M’XLOKK (66): D. Bogdanovic 28, A. Schembri 9, H. Doda 8, K. Sammut 8, C. Mamo 2, G. Sciberras 2, J. Pace 2, S. Bajada, M. Licari, S. Garci, C, Frendo, I. Azzopardi (Floriana) og, R. Conceicao (St George’s) og

MSIDA SJ (37): D. Nwoke 13, I. Babatunde 11, O. Zongo 4, R. Baldacchino 3, T. Farrugia 2, P. Fenech 2, D. Cachia, P. Pullicino

VALLETTA (48): S. Monesterolo 16, G. Agius 9, R. Siberie 5, D. Falzon 4, B. Nisevic 3, K. Magro 2, D. Zarb 2, E. Uzeh 2, I. Zammit 2, M. Grima, J. Grioli, M. Barbara, D. Camilleri

FLORIANA (40): A. Mifsud 9, W. Gomes 8, T. Cilia 6, M. Micallef 4, C. Caruana 3, C. Cassar 2, R. Newell 2, I. Azzopardi, M. Gauci, G. Rtsa, Spasojevic, A. Buhagiar, K. Formosa

HIBS (43): T. Scerri 14, A. Cohen 8, N. Chukunyere 5, M. Bartolo 4, P. C. Doffo 3, T. Caruana 2, A. Xuereb 2, U. Nwoko, A. Pulis, J. Vella, T. Farrugia, K. Spiteri

BIRKIRKARA (43): J.P. Mifsud Triganza 11, E. Barbara 9, M. Galea 6, G. Mallia 3, W. Camenzuli 2, D. Larrossa 3, R. Briffa 2, A. Paradiso, M. Calascione, L. Galea, MA Bonnici, H. Sbai, A. Ciantar, P. Monye

SLIEMA (47): I. Woods 20, A. Madzar 7, A. Muscat 4, C. Nwoko 4, R. Bajada 3, M. Galea 2, Z. Zvoboda 2, O. Anonam 2, J. Chetcuti, M. Scerri, S. Giglio

MARSA (14): A. Scerri 4, A. Ewurun 2, E. Yantchev 2, V. Bellia 3, B. Zammit, D. Cucciardi, V. Chircop

ST GEORGE’S (16): Effiong 5, L. Mizzi 3, R. Conceicao 3, S. Sciberras, E. do Nascimento, L. Pace, H. Schembri, J. Spiteri

PIETA H. (23): M. Deanov 5, S. Kondev 4, D. Kokavessis 3, D. Theuma 2, A. Decesare 2, A. Debono, C. Pulo, R. Galabov, S. Ciscaldi, D. Camenzuli, D. Mifsud, K. Formosa (Floriana) og