Valletta 5

Hamrun Spartans 0

Valetta’s 17th league win was both impressive as well as deserving as the leaders now widen the gap at the top to 13 points over the chasing Floriana.

Aftrer taking a one-goal lead at halftime, they ran riot in the second half and scored four more goals with relative ease.

Hamrun, with nothing tangible to play for, made a rift of changes to their line-up. Omar Borg, Steve Bonnici, Karl Magro, Mead Mifsud and Dylan Kokavessis were all given starts, in the absence of Vukanic, Lee Agius, Rupert Mangion, Dene Shields and the suspended Dyson Falzon. Glen Azzopardi went in for the injured Mifsud after 20 minutes.

Although Hamrun had taken two draws against the leaders this season, yesterday they proved vastly inferior opponents as they remain winless in the Championship Pool.

Ominously for Hamrun, Valletta did not change much from the side which beat Tarxien Rainbows the previous week, except that Denni Dos Santos returning from suspension, was given the nod ahead of Gilbert Agius, who was named among the substitutes.

Roderick Briffa, in an advanced central midfield role, took charge of his side’s proceedings, with a commanding and reassuring display. His interceptions, astute tackling and intelligent distribution were the evening’s most pleasant moves to watch. He even scored a brace in the second half, when Valletta ran riot against inferior opponents.

Valletta again exhibited all their superior qualities, dominating possession, using the entire width of the pitch and raked in crosses by Edmond Agius or Denni from both flanks as the Hamrun rearguard always looked uncomfortable.

After eight minutes a Denni cross was headed out short by the Hamrun defenders. Anderson skied the ball from a promising situation.

Keeper Borg had to repel Briffa’s shot towards the quarter hour and then Denni headed Agius’ cross wide as Valletta were always on the ascendancy.

They threatened on 18 minutes when the overlapping Azzopardi recovered an almost-lost ball from the byeline on the left, crossed towards the middle and Anderson headed the ball down to Briffa, whose powerful drive was turned superbly into a corner by the Hamrun keeper.

On 25 minutes, Valletta made the breakthrough, with Hamrun, not for the first time this season, unable to defend a dead ball situation. Denni Dos Santos played a curling free kick from the edge of the area on the left, beating the entire Hamrun rearguard and as Steve Borg rose in front of goal, he might have distracted keeper Borg for the ball to land at the far post.

Hamrun were unable to make a decent reaction, with Kokavessis left to plough a lone furrow, starved of any service. Valletta remained firmly in the driving seat, and although they only went close on two occasions before the break, they were always the more likely to score. On the stroke of halftime, Denni shot Ryan Fenech’s free kick wide and in added time, Roderick Fenech failed to clear a Ryan Fenech cross but Briffa shot narrowly over.

The Citizens doubled their lead just one minutes after the restart, when Roderick Briffa connected well to Anderson’s cross from the right to tap the ball in past the helpless Borg.

Minutes later, the Hamrun keeper deflected Ryan Fenech’ effort into a corner from Anderson’s cross.

On 65 minutes Valletta effected a double substitution, putting in Gilbert Agius and Terence Scerri for Jamie Pace and Andesrson. That changed only slightly Valletta’s tactical plan as Briffa retreated in front of the defence and Gilbert Agius played behind the forwards.

The two substitutes almost combined to procure Valletta’s third goal three minutes later.

Gilbert Agius advanced and squared the ball for the unattended Scerri who shot feebly and Roderick Fenech could clear.

On 76 minutes Scerri headed Gilbert Agius’ cross wide in front of a gaping goal, confirming that every scoreless occasion chips away the Valletta striker’s confidence. Scerri has gone eight league matches without scoring a goal.

But there was no denying Valletta in the late stages, with a three-goal deluge in the last ten minutes.

On 80 minutes Ryan Fenech advanced through the middle, exploiting gaps in the Hamrun defence, and passed the ball to the unmarked Edmond Agius who steered the ball in.

Two minutes later, the same Edmond Agius hit the game’s best goal with a spectacular volley from outside the area, beating keeper Borg at the top corner.

There was still time for Roderick Briffa to score Valletta’s fifth with four minutes remaining, finishing off Borg’s cross to complete the rout.

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, S. Borg, I. Azzopardi, R. Dos Santos, E. Agius, J. Pace (G. Agius), R. Briffa, D. Dos Santos (K. Sammut), A. Anderson (T. Scerri), R. Fenech

Coach: J. Zerafa

Hamrun S: O. Borg, S. Bonnici, K. Magro, R. Fenech, M. Grima, D. Camilleri (C. Debattista), M. Mifsud (G. Azzopardi), N. Chipev, G. Spiteri (P. Anizoba), M. Pereira, D. Kokavessis

Coach: S. D’Amato

Referee: P. Caruana

Asst.refs: M. Debono, W. Debattista

4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: D. Dos Santos 25, R. Briffa 46, 86, E. Agius 80, 82

Yellow cards: S. Bonnici

Player of the match: R. Briffa (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. R. Briffa 2. E. Agius 3. D. Dos Santos

Attendance: 1,767

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