Hamrun S. 0

Floriana 2

Hamrun S: O. Borg, J. Vukanic (K. Magro), S. Bonnici, R. Fenech, D. Camilleri, R. Mangion, M. Grima (D. Zerafa), N. Chipev, D. Falzon, M. Pereira (D. Kokavessis), G. Spiteri

Floriana: L. Saidi, D. Pisani, T. Farrugia, M. Micallef, C. Cassar, C. Borg, D. Draganov (M. Gauci), C. Caruana (J. Borg), I. Woods, D. Nwoke (M. El Yamani), O. Bugeja

Referee: M. Borg asst.refs: M. Debono, J. Camilleri 4th official: G. Tonna

Scorers: I. Woods 47 pen, 54 pen

Yellow cards: D. Nwoke, D. Falzon, C. Caruana, J. Vukanic, N. Chipev

Red card: N. Chipev

Player of the match: I. Woods (Floriana)

TMI top 3: 1. C. Caruana 2. O. Borg 3. I. Woods

Any hopes Hamrun Spartans might have had of taking any points off Floriana and repeat the feat against Birkirkara, were wrecked with two second half penalties and Nikolai Chipev’s dismissal before the hour.

Floriana meanwhile continue on their upward curve, with three wins and a draw from their last four matches, to keep themselves firmly in second place, five points above Birkirkara who play newly crowned champions Valletta tomorrow.

Floriana’s performance yesterday was far from convincing but full bodied enough to clinch the points they needed at the end. Daniel Nwoke was erratic in front of goal and Christian Cassar failed to produce the same workrate that helped his team overcome Tarxien in the previous game. Floriana had Pablo Doffo and Thomas Paris suspended, with Clyde Borg and Owen Bugeja given starts.

They had to rely on the inventiveness of Christian Caruana and Ivan Woods, who were almost always involved in all their build-ups and from their feet came the afternoon’s most pleasant passes.

Hamrun keeper Omar Borg kept his side into the match for the first 45 minutes, during which Floriana raided the Hamrun fort with one attack after another.

Borg produced two point blank saves, on Tyrone Farrugia after only two minutes and on Draganov after 22 minutes.

In between, Borg stretched himself to turn Woods’ meaty free kick from the edge of the area into a corner and on the quarter hour, Fenech blocked Woods’ effort, and as the ball fell to the unmarked Nwoke, the Hamrun keeper held out his grounder.

Hamrun also had their moments, although few and far between. On eight minutes, a Mangion free kick was cleared off the line by Micallef. On 37 minutes, Spiteri twisted and turned past Farrugia inside the Floriana area but his low pass was intercepted by Bugeja before Pereira could connect.

Before haltime, Falzon played an inviting ball across the face of the Floriana goal, but there was no one to make contact and the chance went begging.

Floriana broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart. Vukanic was adjudged to have blocked Caruana’s cross inside the area with his jutting arm, to concede a penalty which Ivan Woods tucked away despite Borg diving the right way.

The goal gave Floriana a new lease of life and they remained firmly in command. Caruana ran past two opponents through the middle, passed the ball to Draganov whose shot was turned into a corner by keeper Borg.

Hamrun conceded a second penalty towards the hour, this time a more evident one when Chipev handled Woods’ cross from the right. The Hamrun midfielder was booked and then also shown red, probably after passing some remarks towards the referee.

Ivan Woods again stepped up to beat keeper Borg with a low shot to the right and give his side a more comfortable lead.

The Greens tried to exploit their numerical superiority and went close with a scorcher from substitute Joseph Borg which rebounded off the bar and then through Nwoke, who shot narrowly wide after a good run inside the area, confirming his off day.

By then, Hamrun had already effected all their three substitutions but were well aware that their time was up as Floriana continued to play with training ground easiness with a lull of sorts being reached by the end.