Valletta 4

Hamrun S. 0

Valletta: A. Hogg, J. Caruana, S. Borg (R. Dos Santos), A. Effiong (O. Zongo), R. Briffa, E. Agius (J. Pace), R. Fenech, G. Agius, D. Falzon, D. Dos Santos, W. Barbosa

Hamrun S: A. Cassar, G. Azzopardi, G. Calabretta (A. Micallef) (C. Debattista), M. Grima, N. Gacesa, D. Camilleri, M. Gauci, D. Zerafa, C. Polli, D. Shields, A. Ribeiro

Referee: D. Jakimovski

Asst.refs: D. Kostadinov, A. Giev

4th official: F. Mustafi

Scorers: W. Barbosa 30 pen, D. Dos Santos 39, G. Agius 86, O. Zongo 90+

Yellow cards: M. Grima, D. Shields, G. Agius, N. Gacesa

Player of the match: Denni Dos Santos (Valletta)

TMI top 3: 1. R. Briffa 2. G. Agius 3. A. Cassar

Attendance: 1,962

Valletta keep enjoying the view from the top of the Premier League as they restored their three-point lead over Hibernians with an easy win against understrength Hamrun Spartans, plagued by injuries and suspensions.

The champions were far too strong for opponents who will be grateful a one-sided game did not result in an even bigger defeat after the league leaders accumulated several chances and even contrived to miss an early penalty.

Valletta had Ian Azzopardi suspended, but Jonathan Caruana returned in defence, with Effiong starting the match instead of Zongo, who went in as a late substitute and scored his side’s fourth goal.

Gilbert Agius, who was always prominently involved yesterday, scored one of the goals after a barren spell and Ramon Dos Santos mad a late substitute appearance after a long lay off.

Hamrun were a depleted side, deprived of the injured Omar Borg, Roderick Fenech and Steve Borg and the suspended Rupert Mangion, Kevin Sammut, Gaetan Spiteri and Lee Agius, although Gacesa returned in defence. Their midfield looked too flimsy to challenge Valletta’s tenacity in that sector, despite the industry of Polli and Shields. Ribeiro was too isolated up front.

“No to domestic violence” read the placard which the players demonstrated before kick-off and the match was controlled by officials from Macedonia.

Valletta, as expected, did the early running. Most of their attacks were fashioned down the left flank where the inexperienced Hamrun defender Glenn Azzopardi was often at pains to hold the forages of Denni or Gilbert Agius and of Dyson Falzon when he managed to overlap down the flank.

Valletta were awarded an early penalty after four minutes play for Grima’s handling on Denni’s cross inside the area. But keeper Cassar dived the right way to hold out Denni’s placed spot kick.

Hamrun somehow regrouped and after Denni chested a Gilbert Agius cross but shot over, Ribeiro headed Gauci’s cross from the left narrowly wide.

Valletta kept holding on to possession. On 20 minutes Edmond Agius failed to hit well Briffa’s testing cross and nine minutes later, Hamrun also presented a threat of their own

with a Grima free kick from the right. Shield’s looping header was turned into a corner by keeper Hogg.

On the half hour, Hamrun conceded another penalty. The assistant flagged when the ball hit Gauci’s jutting hand on Denni’s cross from the right. This time, William Barbosa stepped up to beat keeper Cassar with a low shot and put Valletta in front.

On 34 minutes, Polli won possession in midfield, cut through the middle but his rising shot was tipped into a corner by keeper Hogg.

Valletta looked menacing two minutes later when the Hamrun keeper missed the ball on a Fenech corner and Denni shot off target.

On 39 minutes Azzopardi allowed Falzon too much space on a floating ball inside the Hamrun area and Denni connected well on the low cross to flick the ball over the helpless Cassar.

The pattern of the game did not change much in the second half. On 51 minutes keeper Cassar repelled Fenech’s powerful drive from outside the area as Hamrun were left to chase their opponents for long stretches.

Valletta kept turning the ball around with training ground easiness. On 70 minutes Gilbert Agius played the ball wide to the unmarked Edmond Agius but the Hamrun keeper rushed out to block.

Hamrun were also unlucky on 80 minutes when substitute Ayrton Micallef twisted an ankle after only four minutes on the pitch.

Zongo, who went in as a substitute for Effiong on 72 minutes, Gilbert Agius and Jamie Pace all went close with their efforts.

Not for the first time this season, the Spartans collapsed to concede two more goals in the final stages.

Four minutes from normal time, Gilbert Agius’ perfect elevation on Denni’s cross allowed him to beat keeper Cassar with a firm downward header before the Valletta skipper had to leave the pitch injured after the leaders had effected all three substitutions.

That left them playing with ten men for two minutes of added time, still enough for Oussain Zongo to surprise keeper Cassar with a soaring long range unstoppable shot at the top corner.

Luckily for Hamrun, the final whistle soon arrived.