City complete formalities and doom Reds

Valletta 3
Hamrun Spartans 0

Clashes between Valletta and Hamrun, especially in the 80s made the blood of their supporters boil. Alas, the 'Big Game' aura and the hype surrounding those encounters have now been hugely deflated.

To the point that yesterday's match between the Lilywhites and the Spartans had the tag of a 'relegation affair' attached to it with only a minute core of fans supplying the backing from the stands.

Valletta's imperious run of successes in the last decades was arrested last year and a further slump this season has landed them in the red zone. At least, they remained in the periphery.

The Spartans, on their part, have long been flirting with relegation. This time, a return to lower grade football, a fate that befell them some years ago, was inevitable. The lasting scene was provided yesterday. The Reds had always seem to be punching above their way this season despite being determined in their pursuit of dodging the drop.

With the City team looking from atop their peaceful seat, one would have excused some elements of complacency in their game. But building up morale in view of their FA Trophy tie with Floriana next weekend, was a priority for them.

They had to back that by victory. And that came courtesy of a comfortable stroll which gave them a 3-0 cushion and with that, if ever there was any doubt about it, certainty that their top status would be preserved.

That panorama set the scene for yesterday's confrontation. The match was in its seventh minute when Valletta scored. The energetic Pace made a solo 15-metre midfield run before laying the ball towards Veselji who signed the formalities when planting past Michael Falzon.

The Whites, without Daniel Theuma and Milen Penchev, and with Ivan Zammit on the bench, were doing all the running, pushing balls towards their front-runners, Agius and Veselji, and having Pace and Bondin moving up to supplement the attacking forces. Hamrun's incursions into opposing territory were sporadic.

Stefan Sultana and Gaetan Spiteri were forced to fetch the ball rather than run into the gaps for a possible pot at goal. That opportunity, for once, came Mauro Brincat's way, but Sullivan rushed out to block.

Veselji's side-stepping of his shadower presented an ideal scoring opportunity only for his effort to go wide. Massimo Grima's contribution, when latching on forcefully to Forace's diagonal service, put the seal on Valletta's second goal. A typical one from this player.

Two openings after the restart could have extended the Lilywhites' lead but somehow further damage was averted. The livewire Pace and the nippy tandem of Agius and Veselji kept tormenting the Reds' rearguard. Falzon's timely sortie on Veselji denied Valletta a third goal.

That was always in the offing. This time there was the excellent work of Nebojsa Stajic whose runs down the right flank always spelt danger. He jinked clear of two opponents before setting up the pass towards Veselji who slid past Falzon.

The Valletta striker then should have made it a hat-trick but hit high. Grima's angled drive seared inches past the far upright.

Diego Armando Cucciardi, coming in for Sultana, found the bar in his way with a header which would have brought a little solace for the Spartans.

The chips had long been down and interest in the proceedings was only of a statistical nature. Obviously, both teams had their sights on different targets, Valletta eyeing their Trophy commitments and the Reds on giving their youths an extended run with next season in view.

The missed late opportunity by debutant Kurt Magro, son of former Valletta international winger Vince (Maxi), mattered little as man-of-the-match Grima was orchestrating the pieces to his heart's delight.

Valletta, once more with coach Atanas Marinov absent, looked serene even though they had skipper Agius limping out with hamstring injury again. The Spartans were doomed but hopeful of a quick return to Premier League football.

Valletta: S. Sullivan-6 ('45 R. Farrugia), T. Simeonov-6, K. Farrugia-6, D. Debono-6, R. Forace-6, N. Stajic-7, J. Pace-7, M. Grima-8, J. Bondin-7, N. Veselji-7 ('80 K. Magro), G. Agius ('58 Ian Zammit).

Hamrun: M. Falzon-6, J. Debattista-5, D. Galea-5, K. Fabri-5, A. Attard-5, J. Magri Overend-6, K. Borg-5 ('78 R. Fenech), R. Bajada-5, G. Spiteri-5, M. Brincat-5 ('83 S. Meilaq), S. Sultana-5 ('60 D.A. Cucciardi).

Referee: Anton Zammit.

Scorers: Veselji 7, 60; Grima 36.

Yellow Cards: K. Farrugia, Debono.

MIA Player of the Match: Massimo Grima (Valletta).