Rabat A.-Tarxien R 2-6
Rabat A: A. Zammit, S. Gauci, D. Azzopardi, D. Falzon, I. Carapic, J. Caruana, J. Bajada (W. Borg), D. Pelaez (P. Borg), M. Licari, R. Micallef (C. Vella), D. Pendas
Tarxien R: N. Vella, C. Mamo, M. Caruana (M. Ciantar), F. Lopez, L. Martinelli, R. Calheira (M. Potezika), W. Barbosa, R. Sammut, C. Menendez (N. Vella), K. Pulo, J. Silva
Referee: F. Zammit
Asst.refs: I. Spiteri, S. Attard
Additional asst.refs: P. Caruana, S. Spiteri
4th official: A. Borg Cardona
Scorers: W. Barbosa 11, K. Pulo 30,78, 82, J. Silva 36, 71, M. Licari 61, R. Micallef 72
Yellow cards: C. Menendez
Player of the match: J. Silva (Tarxien R)
TMI top three: 1. J. Silva 2. K. Pulo 3. L. Martinelli
SILVIO VELLA
Revitalised Tarxien Rainbows won this battle of the basement by a canter, hitting six past sloppy Rabat Ajax to move ten points clear of same opponents, left reeling at the bottom of the standings.
Tarxien were back to winning ways, halting a string of six winless league matches since beating Hibernians in November, with a Karl Pulo hat trick and a brace from Jorge Silva. William Barbosa scored the other goal, his first for the Rainbows since joining them this month.
Rabat were depleted. With regular goalkeeper Velimirovic suspended and second choice Jonathan Azzopardi injured, the young Andrew Zammit made an appearance in goal as his debut turned into a nightmare, having to pick the ball from behind him on six occasions. Ryan Micallef was back in the starting line-up after declared fully fit.
Tarxien made four changes from the side that lost to Vittoriosa Stars the previous week. Coach Clive Mizzi, who was convinced to stay on despite handling his resignation after that match, dropped Steve Sadowski, Josef Mifsud, Steve Bonnici and Marko Potezika.
Their makeshift defence included central defenders Ryan Sammut and Lopez Alcantara with Luca Martinelli and Carlo Mamo as wide backs.
As expected, the Rainbows made the more assertive start with Pulo and Jorge Silva wide on the flanks and Calheira and Menendez operating through the middle. The Rabat backline had to strain to clear crosses or disrupot ominous Tarxien moves around their area. Not surprisingly they had conceded three goals, almsot at regular intervals, by the time the game was only 36 minutes old.
Tarxien made the breakthrough after 11 minutes. William Barbosa rose high to meet Martinelli’s cross from the right and head past keeper Zammit at the far post.
Without exerting themselves too much, the Rainbows doubled their lead on the half hour. Martinelli’s cross from the right was fumbled by the Rabat keeper and the ball fell invitingly to Karl Pulo to hit in.
Rabat were forced to substitute the injured Jonathan Bajada with Wayne Borg after that but collapsed to concede a third goal on 36 minutes, again courtesy of some sloppy defending. The out-of-sorts Carapic allowed Menendez to play the ball back in play from the byeline on Martinelli’s cross and with Jorge Silva unmolested inside the Rabat area, he scored with a low drive.
Tarxien had the match wrapped up already and the Rabat keeper was called to save Calheira’s header, before the half was out, to save his side from further derision.
Rabat improved slightly after the interval. They forced a series of corners and towards the half hour Licari fell inside the Tarxien area when bundled by Carauana and Menendez to win a penalty. Pelaez’s low drive from the spoit kick was saved by keeper Vella.
Rabat pulled one back however shortly after. Malcolm Licari headed in Pelaez’s cross from the left, only for Tarxien to restore their three-goal lead ten minutes later. Substitute Potezika did the running on the left and crossed low fro Jorge Silva to hit past the helpless keeper Zammit.
Rabat were not to be denied a second goal hardly a minute later – the most spectacular of the afternoon. The Rabat striker advanced past Sammut on the left and despite the marking of Lopez, he hit a spectacular left-foot volley that beat keeper Vella at the far post. That heralded Rabat’s best patch. On 76 minutes they even went close to scoring a third when from Pendas’ corner, Licari’s close header was cleared off the line by Martinelli.
But Tarxien punished Rabat’s flimsy defence with two late goals, Karl Pulo being the protagonist to complete his hat-trick. On 78 minutes, Martinelli’s deep cross fell to Pulo at the far end. His first effort was blocked by the goalkeeper but he drove in the rebound with a second attempt.
Eight minutes from time, Pulo ran past Azzopardi, outpaced Falzon inside the area and scored with a curling shot to dismantle already doomed Rabat.