SILVIO VELLA

This important win virtually prolongs Msida St Joseph’s stay in the Premier League for at least another season, as they now open a nine-point lead over Pieta Hotspurs, needing only an assuring point from their last three matches in the Relegation Pool.

The Saints did not play as well as they can and only showed some superiority in the second period after a dull first half. A penalty soon after the restart and another goal in added time, assured Msida of their hard fought success, after Dos Santos’ goal had cancelled Deanov’s opener in the first half. All Msida’s goals were scored by their trio of foreigners.

Pieta desperately tried to breathe life back into their fading hopes of salvation and in stretches looked the far better side. Their build-up play deserved more, but their final pass and finishing left much to be desired.

Unable to recover any of their injured players of late, namely Ryan Camilleri, Bernard Sciberras and Carl Pulo, the Hotspurs were forced to field the same starting line-up which lost to Hibernians in their last outing.

Msida were bereft of defender Pio Sciriha, replaced by Andrew Spiteri. Gilberto Dos Santos started the match instead of Baldacchino. But Msida looked rusty after a whole month out of action and Pieta, looking sharper on the ball and showing more inventive, made the more assertive start, winning a series of corners in the opening minutes. None proved productive however.

On ten minutes, Gatt sent an inviting cross from the right which fell to Kondev who hit the ball wide. But the Hotspurs always looked more likely to score and towards the quarter hour they finally made the breakthrough. Martin Deanov took possession on the edge of the area on the left, cut through the middle and unleashed a stinging shot at the top left hand corner.

Msida were forced to pull up their socks, loathed by their disgruntled fans present in the stands. However they were hampered by the quality of their passing and never looked like imposing themselves in the face of a well organised Pieta defence.

Only until on 21 minutes Adrian Farrugia’s through ball put Gilberto Dos Santos clear inside the area, beating Pieta’s offside trap to shoot past the helpless Montfort.

But the goal failed to inject any enthusiasm in the Msida side and, having sapped away much of Pieta’s initial brittle confidence, the remainder of the first half was played at mediocre levels by both sides.

Msida took the field in more lively fashion after the restart as Pieta’s uneasiness in defence was palpable. After hardly five minutes of the second half, the Hotspurs conceded a penalty. Keeper Montfort floored Dos Santos as he rushed out of his line to block the Brazilian striker, following a short back pass by Grech inside the area, and Priso Doding scored from the spot kick.

Msida upped the tempo and went close when Priso Doding played the ball to Dos Santos, whose low cross was cleared by Cassar before Dos Santos Calcado could connect. Then Dos Santos turned well on an Adrian Farrugia pass but shot over.

Pieta tried to regroup. A meaty Deanov free kick towards the hour forced keeper Bartolo into a spectacular save. And later the Msida keeper denied Kondev, turning his shot into a corner.

In between, Msida threatened again when Dos Santos Calcado ran in well for Kenneth Spiteri’s low cross but failed to conclude and his cross was finally cleared into safety by Gera.

On 72 minutes, substitute Baldacchino’s cross was chested by Priso Doding and played towards the unmarked Dos Santos Calcado but the grounded Montfort saved majestically his close range effort.

In the late stages there were chances on both ends. Pieta’s keeper Montfort dived well to keep out Dos Santos’ firm header on Adrian Farrugia’s free kick and then keeper Bartolo blocked Kondev’s grounder on a Deanov free kick.

Deep into added time, Pedro Dos Santos Calcado atoned for some earlier profligacy, hitting the back of the Pieta net with an exquisite strike from a tight angle near the byeline.

* * *

Msida SJ: M. Bartolo, K. Spiteri, C. Brincat, T. Farrugia, S. Grima, D. Cachia, A.Spiteri (R. Baldacchino), A. Farrugia (K. Ebejer), P. Dos Santos Calcado, G. Dos Santos (P. Borg), N. Priso Doding

Pieta H: M. Montfort, C. Cassar, S. Grech, M. Deanov, D. Gatt (D. Mifsud), C. Sammut, D. Gera, S. Kondev, G. Goodlip (F. Sulas), E. Herrera, R. Galabov

Referee: A. Azzopardi Asst.refs: M. Debono, P. Apap 4th official: P. Caruana

Scorers: M. Deanov, G. Dos Santos, P. Doding pen, P. Dos Santos Calcado

Yellow cards: K. Spiteri, M. Montfort, R. Galabov, A. Farrugia

Player of the match: Gilberto Dos Santos (Msida SJ)

TMI top three: 1. A. Farrugia 2. M. Deanov 3. M. Bartolo