Hamrun S.-St George’s 3-0
Hamrun S: I. Casha, M.A. Bonnici, R. Mangion (D. Cucciardi), R. Fenech, M. Micallef (C. Camoin), N. Galea, M. Pereira, G. Spiteri, M. Hrubsa, J. B. Mawete, J. Holland
St. George's: T. Galea, B. Fenech, C. Schiavone, A. Bonello, E. Sevasta, G. Bonello (D. Galea), E. Amaira, G. Mallia, N. Caruana, C. Ciappara (J. Dalli), A. Ewurum (T. Caruana)
Referee: A. Arciola Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, M. Debono 4th official: A.M. Sant
Scorers: M. Pereira (2), J.B. Mawete
Yellow cards: N. Galea, E. Sevasta
Red cards: A. Bonello, E. Sevasta
Hamrun Spartans fully capitalised on St George's woes after the Cospicua side had a player sent off midway through the first half and then another on the hour to finish the match with nine men.
The Saints' resistance lasted only until then and they were on the backfoot from the time Hamrun broke the deadlock shortly before the interval. Hamrun even contrived to miss a penalty.
The Spartans gave a debut start to their new foreigner, the Angola-born forward Joao Batista Mawete.
Yet the Spartans struggled in the initial stages and the Saints could have gone ahead when twice going close before the incident, half way through the half, that brought the dismissal of defender Anthony Bonello and proved to be the match's turning point.
On the quarter hour, Ewurum beat the Hamrun offside trap and crossed for the unmarked Ciappara to head wastefully wide in front of an open goal.
Then Ciappara's shot took a wicked deflection and keeper Casha tipped the ball over the bar into a corner with some difficulty.
On 25 minutes Pereira shot against the post but crossed the rebound for Mawete whose goalbound effort was handled by defender Anthony Bonello who was sent off after conceding a penalty. But St George's keeper Galea saved Mawete's poor penalty kick to deny Hamrun.
The Spartans soon exploited their numerical superiority and seven minutes before the break, Mawete played a through ball to the advancing Marcelo Pereira who beat keeper Galea with a low drive.
Hamrun added another four minutes after the restart after good work by Pereira on the byeline. He crossed low for Mawete to shoot in from between a bunch of legs.
With the win virtually secured, Hamrun kept basking in their superiority, as the Saints suffered a further setback on the hour when defender Emanuel Sevasta also received his marching orders after collecting his second booking for a handling infringement on the edge of the area.
Not surprisingly, Hamrun scored again on 68 minutes. Marcelo Pereira ran down the left on Spiteri's pass to beat keeper Galea for the third time.
Hamrun remained the more potent going forward and fluffed further chances through Camoin and Mawete but the match had long been over as a contest.