St Patrick 0
Valletta 2
Valletta made little or no effort at all to beat St Patrick and qualify for the fourth round of the FA Trophy. For last year’s beaten finalists this was as expected, an easy match that was settled with two quick goals inside the first twenty minutes.
St Patrick had nothing to offer and they honoured the match in the best way they could. For Valletta it was a good training spin in their last outing this year, as the Citizens used some youngsters in their ranks, two of which the twins Siraj and Samir Arab, with the former opening the score.
Valletta dictated matters from the very first minute and with a rather slow pace they strolled on the field of play with St Patrick never worrying Valletta custodian Matthew Towns. After only three minutes a William Barbosa shot on the turn slightly missed the target, but on eleven minutes Valletta broke the deadlock.
Denni Rocha Dos Santos passed to youngster Siraj Arab who beat Grech with a low drive. On 18 minutes William Barbosa was unlucky when his close range shot from a Gilbert Agius cross hit the base of the upright.
But the champions scored a second two minutes later when a Ryan Fenech freekick was deflected by the Zabbar defensive wall past a helpless Grech. Valletta continued to attack and had attempts through Jamie Pace and Gilbert Pace, both blocked by the Saints’ custodian. Two minutes from the break Valletta captain Gilbert Agius limped off injured and was substituted by another 17-year old, Isaac Zammit.
The second half was played at an even slower pace with Valletta not forcing their superior technical qualities over their opponents whose only aim was to keep a low score line.
St. Patrick J. Grech, E. Grech, M. Vella, A. Galea (R. Cassar), J. Farrugia, S. Zerafa, B. Gockaj, D. Mamo (I. Scicluna), A. Ellul (D. Gauci), S. Dimech, B. Engoudou.
Valletta M. Towns, R. Dos Santos, R. Fenech, Samir Arab, Siraj Arab, W. Barbosa, D. Rocha Dos Santos (O. Cassar), G. Agius (I. Zammit), J. Pace (L. Spiteri), S. Borg, J. Caruana.
Referee Paul Caruana