Birkirkara 2

Hamrun S. 0

Birkirkara: M. Fraser, P. Borg, N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, S. Bajada (R. Scicluna), R. Muscat, P. Fenech, T. Vella (A. Decesare), E. Lattes (M. Camilleri), M. Galea, A. Buhagiar

Coach: P. Zammit

Hamrun S: O. Borg, M.A. Bonnici, J. Vukanic, S. Bonnici, M. Grima, D. Camilleri, R. Mangion, L. Agius (M. Mifsud), M. Pereira, G. Spiteri, D. Kokavessis

Coach: S. D’Amato

Referee: M. Borg

Asst. refs: P. Agius, M. Debono

4th official: A. Arciola

Scorers: E. Lattes 47, P. Fenech 90+

Yellow cards: S. Bajada, M.A. Bonnici, M. Grima, P. Borg, J. Zerafa, R. Mangion, J. Vukanic, N. Vukanac, E. Lattes

Player of the match: E. Lattes (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3: 1. J. Zerafa 2. A. Buhagiar 3. O. Borg

Birkirkara were back in the groove after back-to-back defeats against Valletta and Marsaxlokk, beating Hamrun Spartans with goals at the start and the end of the second period to consolidate fourth place in the standings.

Although the champions dominated possession, it took them some time to translate it into goals. They contrived to miss a second half penalty which allowed their opponents to stay in the match. And they could have even gone behind in the first half when Hamrun carved a couple of scoring opportunities themselves.

But the Spartans spurned them all to their detriment. They enjoyed periods when they could have gone in front. For all his admirable energy, Dylan Kokavessis, loaned from Marsaxlokk last week, was infuriatingly wasteful.

Hamrun also missed the creativity of the suspended Ryan Fenech in midfield. They have now suffered three consecutive league defeats.

Birkirkara, buoyed by the return of Paul Fenech and Angus Buhagiar after suspension, enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and pinned Hamrun inside their own area for most of the first half. But possession alone does not get you anywhere.

The Hamrun rearguard, bereft of the injured Hrubsa and Roderick Fenech, had Steve Bonnici and Massimo Grima as centre backs and stayed composed, allowing their opponents to shoot from a distance. Lattes and Rowen Muscat both failed to put their efforts on target though.

Past the quarter hour, keeper Borg prevented Galea to get a touch to Lattes’ inviting low cross from the byeline on the right and the Hamrun custodian turned Buhagiar’s rasping shot over the bar midway through the half.

However, Hamrun carved out the half’s betterer chances. On 20 minutes, on an Agius low cross, Spiteri’s shot was blocked by keeper Fraser and Kokavessis’ second effort on the rebound was blocked by the Birkirkara defenders.

Towards the half hour, Spiteri sent a low ball through the legs of the Birkirkara defence for Kokavessis, whose shot was parried by the keeper. Kokavessis again picked the rebound, steaded himself but his shot was blocked on the goal line, amid protests by the Hamrun bench, claiming the goal.

In the late stages there ensued another period of dominance from Birkirkara. On a Zerafa cross from the left, Vella headed over. On 39 minutes Vella anticipated Grima on a Lattes cross but thumped the ball against the foot of the post and just before the break, keeper Borg held out a Bajada shot with difficulty but it was still goalless at halftime.

Birkirkara took the lead two minutes after the restart. Bajada laid the ball wide for Emiliano Lattes to advance down the right and beat keeper Borg from inside the area.

Birkirkara could have closed the match after 69 minutes. Vella ran inside the area on a Fenech through pass and as he tried to flick the ball in, Grima handled to concede a penalty. The Hamrun defender, who had been already booked, got away without a caution.

Keeper Borg kept his side into the match as he produced a smart save to turn Lattes’ penalty kick into a corner.

On 73 minutes, Michael Galea’s goal on a Lattes cross was disallowed for offside.

Still only one goal down with a quarter of an hour remaining, Hamrun were encouraged to keep on trying. Occasionally, they got dangerous balls inside the Birkirkara area.

But as they left themselves exposed at the back, keeper Borg had to stretch himself to keep out a Galea effort in the late stages.

There was no denying the champions a second goal deep into four minutes of added time. The industrious Buhagiar galloped forward on a fast break, passed the ball to Galea, who in turn served the unmarked Paul Fenech on the left to beat the Hamrun keeper at the top far corner.