Birkirkara 3

Hamrun S 1

Courtesy of this convincing win, Birkirkara make sure they start the second phase on equal points with Sliema Wanderers in fifth place, two ahead of Balzan Youths.

Hamrun were second best to their opponents in the first half and were punished for their sloppy defending. They enjoyed a good 20-minute spell in the second half during which they also pulled a goal back but then collapsed to concede Birkirkara’s killer blow in the last quarter hour.

Birkirkara had central defender Rodrigo Pereira suspended, with Gareth Sciberras dropping at the back. Paul Fenech was back in midfield and Shaun Bajada played in an advanced role behind strikers Mifsud Triganza and Shodiya.

Hamrun also had midfielder Lee Agius suspended, with Daniel Zerafa starting the match in front of the defence and Rupert Mangion in midfield. David Camilleri and Steve Bonnici sat on the bench.

Birkirkara’s lead after seven minutes paved the way for their undisputed victory. The irrepressible Bajada sparked the movement for the goal when he played a through ball from outside the area and after Grima failed to intercept, Jorge Silva ran in to beat keeper Borg with a low strike.

Hamrun’s response came from a Shields foray down the right, his cross caused some anxious moments in the Birkirkara rearguard but Buhagiar cleared.

On 19 minutes, Mangion played a quick free kick towards Sammut but keeper Gauci reached before him and blocked on the ground.

On the half hour, Silva foraged down the right. His pacey run took him past Matthew Gauci but his grounder was saved by the outstretched Hamrun keeper.

Hamrun’s tit-for-tat came with a Spiteri shot narrowly off target until Hamrun’s naive defending allowed Birkirkara to double their lead on 38 minutes.

Shola Shodiya pounced on Bajada’s low cross from the right, reaching before Zerafa to beat keeper Borg from close range.

Upon the resumption, ensued another period of domination from Birkirkara but once more they fluffed a good opportunity when Silva’s cross from the right beat the entire Hamrun defence but Mifsud Triganza skied the ball in front of a gaping goal.

Having survived that scare, Hamrun tried to rally. Ribeiro’s back-heel effort on Spiteri’s pass went narrowly wide and on 66 minutes, the Spartans reduced the deficit when Anderson Ribeiro headed in Shields’ cross from the left.

Hamrun increased their efforts and Ribeiro’s cross from the right was cleared in the path of Sammut whose shot was blocked by the Birkirkara defence.

But Birkirkara again took the bit between their teeth and Silva tested keeper Borg with a powerful shot.

On 74 minutes Fenech ran through the static Hamrun defence but with only the goalkeeper in his way, he sent a poor attempt wide of the post.

However, Hamrun’s revival came to an abrupt end hardly one minute later, when Bajada played a through ball to Shodiya, who was felled when trying to go past the keeper inside the small box, only for Jorge Silva to knock in the loose ball.

Hamrun looked dead and buried although they had two more chances before the end. On 81 minutes substitute Ryan Spiteri thumped Sammut’s pass against the bar and a Grima snapshot from a distance was tipped over the bar by keeper Gauci.

Birkirkara R. Gauci, R. Scicluna, N. Vukanac, J. Zerafa, S. Bajada, J. Silva (M. Clinch), P. Fenech, G. Sciberras, A. Buhagiar, S. Shodiya (R. Muscat), J.P. Mifsud Triganza (A. Moises)

Coach P. Zammit

Hamrun S O. Borg, G. Calabretta (G. Azzopardi), M. Gauci, R. Hartwig, M. Grima, R. Mangion (D. Camilleri), D. Zerafa, G. Spiteri (R. Spiteri), D. Shields, K. Sammut, A. Ribeiro

Coach S. Sultana

Referee K. Azzopardi

Asst.refs M. Scerri, J. Camilleri

4th official A.M. Sant

Scorers J. Silva 7, 75, S. Shodiya 38, A. Ribeiro 66,

Yellow cards D. Zerafa, R. Mangion, P. Fenech

Player of the match Jorge Silva (Birkirkara)

TMI top 3 1. S. Bajada 2. J. Silva 3. K. Sammut