Hamrun S. -Birkirkara 0-4

Hamrun S O. Borg (A. Cassar), L. Silva (C. Porcari), N. Gacesa, M. Gauci, D. Camilleri, R. Mangion (G. Azzopardi), L. Agius, K. Sammut, C. Polli, G. Spiteri, A. Ribeiro

Birkirkara J. Mora, T. Cilia, J. Zerafa, R. Pereira, A. Decesare (A. Buhagiar), D. Perisic, P. Fenech, T. Vella (L. Grech), M. Avila, G. Sciberras, R. Muscat (A. Tabone)

Referee C. Lautier

Asst.refs K. Borg, S. Attard

4th official T. Farrugia Cann

Scorers T. Cilia 10 pen, A. Buhagiar 69, L. Grech 91, 93

Yellow cards N. Gacesa, L. Silva, P. Fenech, C. Polli, A. Buhagiar

Red card C. Polli

Player of the match Terence Vella (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3 1. T. Vella 2. T. Cilia 3. A. Buhagiar

Attendance 1,178

Birkirkara’s victory against Hamrun Spartans was an injection of life into the Stripes’ season, which had looked like ebbing away, and puts them into fourth place, together with Qormi, on 13 points.

Most of their attacks were fashioned down the left where Terence Vella had a field day against poor Hamrun defender Luis Silva, with his crosses as well as winning several corners, including a penalty that gave Birkirkara the early lead.

Injuries and suspensions took their toll on Hamrun Spartans, who had to reshuffle their team in the absences of the suspended Gianluca Calabretta and Massimo Grima and the injured Roderick Fenech and Dene Shields. To add insult to injury, they were also forced to substitute keeper Omar Borg on 72 minutes, as he suffered a groin injury when falling awkwardly to the ground.

Although of little excuse, that must have had a bearing on the Spartans’ defeat, when also reduced to ten men for the last quarter hour for Polli’s dismissal, in what looked a harsh decision.

That led to their total collapse, dismantled by two more goals deep into added time, by substitute Leighton Grech.

Birkirkara, who fielded the same starting line-up that suffered defeat against Valletta, more than deserved their one-goal lead by halftime as they dominated possession and encamped their opponents inside their own half for long stretches in the first half. Birkirkara threatened after five minutes when Cilia’s shot on Vella’s cross was turned into a corner by keeper Borg.

But they were not to be denied five minutes later. Silva fouled Vella inside the Hamrun area and Trevor Cilia converted the resultant penalty to give his side the lead.

Hamrun looked disjointed, lacking creativity and putting many of their passes astray.

That allowed Birkirkara to prey on their defence, causing many embarrassing moments.

With half time looming, Zerafa, advancing on the left, rifled a shot at the top corner, only to be denied by keeper Borg’s sublime one-handed save into a corner.

Cilia’s half volley, on Vella’s cross from the right, was blocked into another corner by Silva.

Although venturing into enemy territory with some more frequency after the interval, Hamrun were still living dangerously but survived as Birkirkara’s second goal took quite some time to materialize.

That came on 69 minutes though. The Spartans failed to clear another Vella cross from the left. Avila failed to connect in front of goal but the ball ran loose to the unmarked Angus Buhagiar on the left to shoot in at the near post.

Hamrun effected all their three substitutions three minutes later, putting in Azzopardi and Porcari as well as Cassar for the injured keeper Borg, but by then the game was clearly lost.

They suffered a further setback when on 75 minutes, Carlo Polli was sent off for a second caution, after an incident with Buhagiar.

Birkirkara duly exploited their numerical superiority as Hamrun looked completely disbanded. On 86 minutes Avila’s cross beat keeper Cassar. Cilia ran in to thump his shot against the foot of the post.

Leighon Grech, who had gone in as a late substitute for man of the match Terence Vella, completed the rout with two more goals within as many minutes in added time.

Standing inside the Hamrun area, he was the first to react on Fenech’s through ball to shoot past Cassar, hitting the innerside of the post. Then he chased Sciberrras’ long ball from midfield, his first shot was parried by the Hamrun keeper, who allowed the Birkirkara substitute to steer in the loose ball.