Sliema W: V. Szentpeteri, J. Briffa, J. Mifsud, S Souarie, M. Scerri, C. Gatt Baldacchino, J. Paris (M. Ciantar), J. Lima, O. Obifuele (A. Valdo Goncalves), J. Mintoff (J.P. Mifsud Triganza), B. Muscat

Hamrun S: I. Casha, J. Vukanic, M. Hrubsa, Roderick Fenech, D. Camilleri (C. Camoin), M. Grima, R. Mangion, Ryan Fenech, M. Pereira, G. Spiteri (M. Mifsud), D. Shields

Referee: E. Azzopardi Asst.refs: P.Agius, E. Spiteri 4th official: K.Azzopardi

Scorers: O. Obifuele, M. Grima, J.P. Mifsud Triganza (2)

Yellow cards: Ryan Fenech, J. Lima, R. Mangion

Player of the match: Ryan Fenech (Hamrun S)

TMI top three: 1. J. Lima 2. O Obifuele 3. Ryan Fenech

Attendance: 1965

Sliema Wanderers’ first league win brought an end to Hamrun Spartans’ perfect start, following two consecutive wins.

Sliema, who had latest addition to their long injury list, Clayton Failla missing, produced their best performance so far. But the chief architect to Sliema’s success was forward Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza, who went in as a substitute on the hour, with the score at 1-1, and scored a brace to down the resilient Spartans. That could not have been achieved though without the support and mobility of Jackson Lima and Mark Scerri in midfield, as well as the forays of former Hamrun player Obifuele.

Hamrun missed some early chances that might have cost them dearly. Twice they were denied by the woodwork but with only Ryan Fenech their creative inspiration and a susceptible defence when under pressure, they finally succumbed to defeat.

The Spartans, who gave a debut start to defender Jovan Vukanic, made the more assertive start and bombarded the Sliema fort in the opening minutes, creating at least three good chances before the match wasn’t even 12 minutes old.

On a Shead good pass, Spiteri shot wide. Shead himself headed Mangion’s cross wide and on nine minutes Pereira ran havoc inside the Sliema area, laid the ball to Spiteri who again contrived to miss the target.

A Ryan Fenech corner was missed by brother Roderick.

But on the quarter hour, Sliema moved out of their defensive shell and won a corner. Paris’ kick fell to Scerri whose effort was blocked by the Hamrun crowded defence.

That was the prelude to Sliema’s goal, hardly three minutes later. Obbina Obifuele, deployed as a sole striker, advanced from the right past Camilleri with alarming ease and beat keeper Casha with a low drive.

The interval gave Hamrun the chance to regroup as they looked menacing again after the restart.

Hamrun started to mount some sustained pressure and after a Grima shot was blocked by keeper Szentpeteri, the Spartans won a corner following Ryan Fenech’s incursion inside the area. The latter’s corner kick found Massimo Grima towering himself to head in an equaliser.

That was the right tonic Hamrun needed. Following Mifsud Triganza’s inclusion for Mintoff, Ryan Fenech reached well for Pereira’s cross from the left, his low drive was cleared by Gatt Baldacchino.

On 65 minutes a Ryan Fenech free kick clipped the bar with the keeper out of position and three minutes later Mifsud Triganza showed up with a powerful shot that missed the target.

On 73 minutes Roderick Fenech’s tackle on Obifuele inside the area was judged offensive by referee Esther Azzopardi, who was away from the action. But the same Obifuele thumped the resultant penalty kick against the cross bar.

Sliema made amends for that miss ten minutes from the end as Hamrun’s defence leaked water. Lima started the move for Obifuele to play the ball towards Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza who beat keeper Casha with a low drive.

Hamrun were unlucky to be denied a late equaliser, when Hrubsa headed Mifsud’s free kick against the bar, only to be caught out by a third goal on the stroke of full time.

Substitute Ciantar’s cross from the byeline on the right cut the entire Hamrun defence and Mifsud Triganza slotted the ball in to kill all Hamrun’s hopes.