Sliema Wanderers missed the chance to go top of the Premier League as they were surprisingly beaten by young Pietá Hotspurs who are fast improving and proving tough opponents for every team nowadays.

Sliema’s ploy failed to work yesterday. Despite the abundance of talent in their side, they showed precious little by the way of originality and imagination needed to unlock the Pietá defence. What was more worrying was their failure to recover from the goal conceded with more than half an hour left.

By virtue of this win, Pietá joined the group of five teams, all on the 12-point mark, in what looks like one of the most intriguing championships for years. They remain four points clear of Msida St Joseph.

Pietá were without their mentor Martin Deanov, with the captain’s armband handed to Kondev. Defender Pierre Aquilina was also missing as Mark Vella was preferred to Montfort in goal.

Sliema, ominously for their opponents, were at full strength, with no place for Ciantar, Briffa and Anonam in their starting line-up.

From the outset, this was going to be a stern test for the Wanderers against composed and determined opponents.

Bajada missed an early sitter, shooting wide Barbara’s cross in front of goal after four minutes before the Hotspurs regrouped and rolled themselves into the game.

Past the quarter hour a Kondev meaty free kick was held out by keeper Akanji.

But for most of the half, scoring opportunities remained at a premium, mostly because Sliema could not break down Pietá’s blanket defence, with Galabov and Camilleri excelling with their towering presence. Madzar and Milovanovic often had their efforts blocked inside the area.

In fact the Hotspurs looked more menacing on the break and on 37 minutes, Deliminkov’s goal bound shot on a Goodlip corner, was well saved by Akanji. And on 41 minutes, Goodlip volleyed Deliminkov’s cross over the bar.

Just before the break, a Muscat effort from a distance, narrowly missed the target.

Pietá threatened again six minutes into the second half. Akanji had to stretch himself to hold out Pulo’s close range shot on Kondev’s pass.

On 53 minutes Akanji produced a top notch save, tipping Sammut’s effort over the bar. From the resultant short corner, Peycho Delimonkov connected well on Mifsud’s cross to beat Akanji and give Pietá a deserved lead.

Facing defeat in the face, Sliema needed to up the tempo. Coach Farrugia effected two substitutions in the space of four minutes, putting in Anonam for Milovanovic and Briffa for Woods.

They mounted some sustained pressure and there was a danger Pietá would buckle but the Hotspurs offered stiff resistance. Madzar’s glancing header on Bartolo’s cross missed narrowly the target.

Sliema raked numerous crosses inside the Pietá area but found no one to finish them off. One from Barbara on 68 minutes, caused havoc but Anonam failed to conclude in front of goal. Then Anonam was foiled by keeper Vella as Sliema pinned Pietá inside their area but by the time the match was over, the Wanderers were still unable to find the back of the net.

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Pietá H: M. Vella, P. Deliminkov, Q. Refalo, C. Pulo (M. Vella), C. Sammut, S. Kondev, G. Goodlip (B. Sciberras), D. Mifsud, E. Herrera (S. Ciscaldi), R. Camilleri, R. Galabov

Sliema W: M. Akanji, A. Muscat, I. Azzopardi, B. Said, N. Milovanovic (O. Anonam), R. Bajada, M. Bartolo, I. Woods (R. Briffa), A. Madzar, S. Pace, E. Barbara

Referee: K. Azzopardi asst.refs: E. Spiteri, A. Camilleri 4th official: S. Tanti

Scorer: P. Deliminkov

Yellow cards: I. Woods, Q. Refalo

Player of the match: Peycho Deliminkov (Pietá H)

TMI top three: 1. P. Deliminkov 2. M. Akanji 3. R. Camilleri