HAMRUN SPARTANS  0

MELITA-                         1

Hamrun S: A. Curmi, R. Fenech, G. Calabretta, R. Spiteri, A. Micallef (R. Refalo), M. Grima, A. Borg, D. Camilleri, L. Grech, D. Zerafa (C. Cassar), G. Azzopardi

Melita: G. Gabilondo, M. Sierra Camacho, I. Tufegdzic, G. Gribbon, M. Borg, A. Caruana Scicluna, L. Micallef (M. Attard), M. Martin, J.P. Attard, D.Cabanillas Ayllon (J.Lourido), T. Terpougoff (K. Vella Petroni)

Referee:  C. Lautier

Asst.refs: W. Debattista, E.Grech

4th official: A.M. Sant

Scorers: D. Ayllon 32

Yellow cards: L. Micallef, R. Spiteri, M. Sierra Camacho, D. Camilleri

Player of the match: D. Camilleri (Hamrun S)

TMI top 3:  1. I. Tufegdzic 2. A. Micallef  3. M. Sierra Camacho

Some resilient defending earned Melita their third league win of the season, but the first one without conceding, as they now catch up with their opponents Hamrun Spartans on 13 points in the penultimate place.

Hamrun failed to turn the tide as they start the New Year with yet another league defeat. But this was ignominy too far as they extend their losing streak to eight consecutive matches, their aggregate concession of goals in four games rattled up to 12. Their confidence has ebbed horribly and faith in their coaches Sultana and Marinov is on the wane as the Spartans linger in the drop zone.

With the Bulgarian players Ivanov, Vergilov, Yoshev and Vitanov all gone, Andrea Cassar and Terence Vella suspended, Hamrun were an understrength side, with some under-21 players in their starting line-up, and they looked hardly able to improve upon their dismal record.

Their attack was severely blunted as Ryan Spiteri looked only a peripheral figure at the centre. They have now failed to score a goal in three consecutive matches.

Their opponents yesterday were newcomers Melita, who had prised four points from their previous two matches, showing signs that they have the stomach for a fight when it comes to defying the critics.

They were also handicapped with injuries and suspensions, bereft of Julian Galea, Michael Valenzia and Nigel Rizzo. Vukanic was also released during the Christmas break.

The match was mostly bottom-of-the-table stuff as both sides kicked the ball from one end to the other with little purpose for long stretches.

Hamrun  enjoyed slightly more of possession during the first 45 minutes, but they could only produce a litany of crosses and corners, of which none proved productive, although they went close to breaking the deadlock on a couple of occasions.

Spiteri headed over the bar on a Calabretta cross on the quarter hour and two minutes later, Grima’s headed effort, on a Camilleri corner, was deflected into a corner by Tufegdzic. From the resultant flag kick, Fenech headed off target.

Melita remained composed , with Tufegdzic and Gribbon a guarantee for solidity in central defence and Camacho and Borg wide backs. They threatened early from an Attard corner, with Tufegdzic’s header clipping the base of the Hamrun post.

Past the half hour they won a direct free kick when Martin was fouled well outside the Hamrun box.Daniel Ayllon stepped up to beat keeper Curmi at the top right hand corner for power and precision.

That was the only highlight of a mundane first half.

The pattern of the game did not change much in the second half. Hamrun continued to dominate possession but unable to translate it into chances. They put in their shots from a distance, winning several more corners, but the aerial dominance of the Melita defence was almost always equal to task.

Christian Cassar replaced Zerafa and past the hour a Grima fierce free kick from the left was fisted out by keeper Gabilondo. The Melita shot stopper was forced to tip Camilleri’s dipping shot from a distance into another corner.

Melita threatened on 75 minutes with Luke Micallef going past the Hamrun keeper from the right and sliding a low pass towards the middle, but Adrian Borg cleared the danger.

Melita were forced to soak Hamrun’s sustained pressure in the late stages and endured nervous moments at the back. They survived a scare when Borg and Spiteri both failed to connect to Camilleri’s corner kick in front of goal. And deep into four minutes of added time, Grima’s effort had keeper Gabilondo beaten but Sierra Camacho hoofed the ball away on the goal line.