Tarxien Rainbows 2
Marsaxlokk 4
And so Marsaxlokk brought the curtain down on their Premier League stay with some scant consolation, after beating the already safe Tarxien Rainbow in a meaningless match, played against a near-silent backdrop at the Centenary Stadium.
Pedrozo and Jean Paul Farrugia scored a brace each and the latter was denied a hat- trick by the Tarxien keeper in added time.
It was an atrocious campaign for Marsaxlokk, who after several seasons in the Premier League, they literally flushed it down the drain this year. Great financial difficulties and bad administration forced them to release several important players, midway through the season, as well as coach Patrick Curmi. His replacement, Anton Cremona, left with extremely thin resources and impoverished talent, failed to ignite the spark to keep the players’ spirits going and eventually, the club from the South was docked penalty points to finish at the bottom.
The side who thrashed Tarxien yesterday may be good enough for First Division football next year, but the problem is keeping the present crop, including their foreigners. Several players are on loan and Masaxlokk may be forced to dig deep among their young products and introduce new faces. The future is far from rosy.
Having scored only four goals in their previous eight league matches, Marsaxlokk yesterday scored four times in the first 25 minutes.
Alex Pedrozo made the breakthrough after eight minutes when he beat keeper Vella with a low drive on a Farrugia cross. On 18 minutes, Jean Paul Farrugia himself capitalised on a rebound off the keeper, on Caruana’s cross which Pedozo looked to have handled, to shoot in from close range.
Two other goals followed at regular intervals. On 22 minutes Farrugia passed the leather to Pedrozo who advanced to beat the Tarxien keeper again. And three minutes later, Farrugia made them 4-0 with a defiant strike from the edge of the area.
Tarxien, who looked aenemic going forward in the first 45 minutes, tested the Marsaxlokk keeper Cassar only twice with shots from Pulo and Bueno from a distance.
But the Rainbows improved somehow after the restart and reduced the arrears on 51 minutes. Carabott played a through ball for Daniel Bueno to hit past keeper Cassar.
Towards the hour, Mayasi was blocked by the keeper inside the area. His effort on the rebound was headed out by Xerri.
Tarxien threatened again on 65 minutes from a Pereira free kick which De Castro headed towards the near post but keeper Cassar turned into a corner.
Although looking erratic to the unusual, Tarxien scored a second goal with four minutes remaining.
De Castro’s sailing free kick was headed towards the middle by Mamo for substitute Warren Zerafa to head in from close range.
But Marsaxlokk were not to be denied.
Tarxien R: N. Vella, S. Sadowski, M. Caruana, A. Carabott (W. Zerafa), C. Fenech, J. Mayasi (C. Mamo), K. Pulo, D. Bueno, L. De Castro, L. Galea (J. Grioli), E. Pereira
Coach: P. Curmi
Marsaxlokk: C. Cassar, C. Brincat, P. Borg, S. Eboh, J. Xerri, D. Grech (C. Debattista), T. Templeman, G. Caruana (Dylan Attard), J.P. Farrugia, M. Valeriani, A. Pedrozo (D. Attard)
Coach: A. Cremona
Referee: G. Tonna
Asst.refs: T. Debono, A. Grech
4th official: M. Borg
Scorers: A. Pedrozo 8, 22, J.P. Farrugia 18, 25, D. Bueno 51, W. Zerafa 86
Yellow cards: D. Grech, S. Eboh, J. Xerri, D. Bueno, J. Grioli
Player of the match: J. P. Farrugia (Marsaxlokk)
TMI top 3: 1. J.P. Farrugia 2. D. Bueno 3. A. Pedrozo
Attendance: 100