HAMRUN SPARTANS 2

PIETA HOTSPURS 3

Hamrun S: M. Falzon, P. Monye, E. Briffa (D. Cucciardi), R. Fenech, S. Meilak, Ryan Fenech, J. Debattista, R. Mangion, B. Timotic (N. Galea), G. Spiteri, A. Effiong (S. Sultana)

Pieta H: M. Montfort, P. Aquilina, P. Deliminkov, M. Deanov, S. Ciscaldi (C. Sammut), Q. Refalo (M. Vella), S. Kondev, D. Mifsud, E. Herrera, R. Camilleri, R. Galabov (G. Busuttil)

Referee: K. Azzopardi asst.refs: I. Spiteri, P. Apap 4th official: P. Caruana

Scorers: R. Mangion, E. Herrera (2), S. Kondev (pen), G. Spiteri

Yellow cards: Ryan Fenech, P. Deliminkov, R. Mangion, Roderick Fenech, S. Kondev

Red card: Ryan Fenech

Player of the match: Martin Deanov (Pieta Hotspurs)

TMI top three: 1. M. Deanov 2. R. Camilleri 3. Roderick Fenech

Pieta Hotspurs claimed their first league win this season after beating neighbours Hamrun Spartans with the odd goal in five. But Pieta’s win was more emphatic than the final scoreline suggests as they put up their best display so far since the first half performance against Valletta.

They cancelled out an early deficit in the first half and scored a third from a penalty after the restart to take full control of the proceedings, leaving Hamrun chasing the game for most of the time.

Hamrun, only a pale shadow of the side which beat Marsaxlokk the other week, let slip their early initiative and a one goal advantage and struggled after conceding two Pieta goals in quick succession past the half hour. It was only in the late stages that the Spartans put up some sustained pressure and pulled a goal back.

Hamrun fielded their best eleven while Pieta had defender Aquilina back after suspension. Camenzuli was not included in the squad and Pieta’s central defenders were Galabov and Ryan Camilleri.

The latter immediately came to his side’s rescue after three minutes play when he cleared Mangion’s goalbound effort off the line after the Hamrun midfielder had gone past the grounded keeper Montfort on Effiong’s pass.

Pieta’s response came after 10 minutes when Galabov’s cross from the left caused panic inside the Hamrun area. Deanov’s powerful shot was blocked by a defender.

Hamrun still kept the early initiative. They carved several openings in the Pieta defence which frustrated them time and again with their offside trap.

Effiong went close but was halted on the point of shooting. However Hamrun broke the deadlock on the half hour. Briffa’s long ball forward was picked by Rupert Mangion who played a deft one-two with Effiong before rifling an unstoppable left-foot shot.

Hamrun’s joy was shortlived though.

Pieta hit back with a vengeance and within the next six minutes they went 2-1 up.

On 34 minutes Refalo served Edward Herrera inside the area to beat keeper Falzon with a low shot which seemed to have a slight deflection off a Hamrun defender. Two minutes later, Deanov breezed past Monye inside the Hamrun area, crossed low beyond the keeper’s reach for Edward Herrera to connect at the far post and steer the ball in from close distance.

The goals sapped Hamrun’s brittle confidence and before halftime Pieta could even score a third. Deanov again beat Hamrun’s static defence and although faced by the keeper he managed a low shot at goal, only for Roderick Fenech to block on the goal line.

Hamrun were forced to make a second half reaction. Cucciardi went in for Briffa but they found little cohesion in their play.

Their task became more laborious on 56 minutes when Deanov was floored by Ryan Fenech inside the area. Svetlan Kondev stepped up to tuck away the penalty and increase Pieta’s lead.

The Spartans took some time to recover but exerted some sustained pressure in the final 20 minutes, after putting in Sultana in attack and Pieta retreated further.

Spiteri was served with a good ball from Ryan Fenech but keeper Montfort blocked with both feet.

Cucciardi and Meilak both failed to put their efforts on target and on 83 minutes Ryan Fenech’s goal, after a goalmouth scramble, was disallowed for offside. Sultana’s header on Cucciardi’s cross thumped against the bar.

Further headed efforts by Sultana and Ryan Fenech missed the target and the latter was sent off on the stroke of full time following a skirmish with Refalo.

Hamrun pulled one back deep into added time, Gaetan Spiteri heading in Monye’s free-kick from the right. But that was too little too late to avoid defeat.