Church harasses St George's in derby

This season, St George's are playing top-flight football and for the people of Cospicua it is like the old times. Already many old faces have re-appeared at Ta' Qali and this is all for the good of the game.

The oldest league club in Malta deserves to be among the elite of local football where the age-old feud between them and Floriana can be resumed. The people of Cottonera are also looking forward to the 'derby' games between St George's and Hibernians which in the past used to attract so many people to the Gzira Stadium.

Talking of derbies, today I want to take you back to 1959-60 when the two neighbours met each other in a league match typical of the many played during that particular period in the history of Maltese football.

Both clubs had a fine team in those days. St George's, with Freddie Delia, Peppi Delceppo, Lolly Cuschieri and the Mizzi trio, were a threat for every other team in the First Division. Hibs, with Freddie Church, Eddie Theobald, Jimmy Mizzi, Joe Cini and Frans Xuereb had perhaps the best forward-line in their history.

The Saints, sporting a new 'Azzurri' style jersey, looked a lot livelier in the early stages of the game but the formidable Hibs' defence absorbed the early pressure.

For the first 15 minutes the Saints held territorial advantage but goalkeeper Lolly Rizzo, making his debut for the Paolites, was rarely troubled.

The first real chance of the game came from a well-executed move started by Stivala.

He crossed the ball for C. Mizzi to flick nicely for his brother Eddie who drove the ball across goal from a very acute angle.

Hibs, however, soon settled down and a Cini pile-driver from about 50 metres brought the best out of goalkeeper Bonnici.

A minute later Eddie Mizzi tricked Leli Attard, passed to Stivala on the right but the latter dallied too long and he was robbed off the ball before he could do any damage.

In the 25th minute, Joe Cini beat Delceppo on the right before crossing perfectly to Frans Xuereb who however saw his shot scrape the bar.

A little later, Jimmy Mizzi nipped in between two hesitant defenders and from a tight angle shot into the side rigging.

The crowd was now on its feet as the ball moved from one end of the pitch to the other.

Rizzo's vision was blurred by the sun during this period of the game and this almost led to a goal for St George's.

It was an agonising moment for the Hibs' supporters when a Scicluna lob into the goalmouth area was misjudged by the Hibs goalkeeper and Stivala rushed in to connect with it. Luckily for Hibs, the ball bounced into Rizzo's waiting hands.

The last incident of the first half came just before half-time. A wild kick by Ciantar was taken first-time by Stivala but the ball just missed the target.

Hibs looked more businesslike in the second period.

Eddie Theobald, then still a minors player, received the ball from Church and shot straight and true from an acute angle. It looked to be a goal all the way but Bonnici made a spectacular save.

Then, Mizzi and Church swapped places and things started to happen.

With a quarter-of-an-hour gone, Church produced the decisive move. Another player perhaps would not have dreamt of taking such a chance.

The ball seemed to be well and truly covered by two Saints defenders but Church was always willing to chase and attack anything moving. Racing into the two hesitant defenders he harassed them off the ball before planting it into the net from close range.

This goal gave Hibs the tonic they needed. They took the reins of the game in their hands and on 69 minutes, Xuereb centred perfectly for Jimmy Mizzi to try a spectacular over-head kick and the ball sailed just wide.

But three minutes later Joe Cini, who was having a rather quiet afternoon, suddenly broke his peace.

He won the ball just outside the area, bypassed Freddie Delia, bulldozed his way past Frendo and then dribbled past Mizzi before shooting into the net.

This goal sounded the death-knell for St George's.

Hibs were now well in control and it was no surprise when a minute before the final whistle Church beat three defenders before leaving Bonnici helpless with a well-placed shot to the corner of the net to seal his side's win.

For the Record

November 15, 1959 - The Empire Stadium, Gzira
Division One League
Hibernians vs St George's: 3-0

Hibernians: L. Rizzo, J. Privitera, L. Theobald, J. Muscat, L. Attard, S. Anastasi, F. Church, E. Theobald, J. Mizzi, J. Cini, F. Xuereb.

St George's: Bonnici, Frendo, Cuschieri, F. Delia, J. Mizzi, P. Delceppo, E. Mizzi, C. Mizzi, Stivala, Scicluna, Ciantar.

Scorers: Church 2, Cini. Referee: Turu Lentini.