Buhagiar on cue to boost Stripes

Ħamrun spartans 0
Birkirkara 1
Buhagiar 32

The last meeting between Birkirkara and Ħamrun Spartans had been a balanced and tight affair. It was played in May and the two teams were contesting the final of the 2007-08 U*Bet FA Trophy which went Birkirkara's way thanks to Michael Galea's last-gasp winner.

Ħamrun's progress to the final of last season's KO had raised optimism among their fans that the club was on track to regain its former eminence but just over a month into the new season, that feel-good factor has disappeared.

Without a win in their first five matches, the Spartans were hoping to break their duck against the high-flying Stripes for whom a victory yesterday would have given them sole leadership, at least until Hibs take on Marsaxlokk today.

Birkirkara reached their objective with a deserved 1-0 win in a largely mediocre match that will surely not linger long in the memory of those who witnessed it, especially the Spartans fans who saw their team slip to another defeat.

Young goalkeeper Michael Falzon was named in Ħamrun's starting formation as veteran Sean Sullivan featured among the substitutes.

Steve Meilak was also restored to the first team, taking the place of Brazilian defender Alex Noronha who was absent from the Spartans' 18-man squad.

Michael Galea, the Birkirkara captain, was back on the starting grid after physical problems limited him to a substitute's appearance in the 2-2 draw with Valletta. He took the place of Alan Tabone.

The early exchanges were marked by a paucity of creative football and scoring chances to the extent that the two goalkeepers were hardly ever called into action.

On 28 minutes, Birkirkara defender Ronnie Hartvig was booked by referee Saviour Tanti for pushing Ronaldo Ortega to the ground as the Brazilian ran to collect a through-ball from Gaetan Spiteri.

Birkirkara's attacking threat in the first half hour had been meagre but on 32 minutes, the Stripes scored.

A hasty clearance by the Spartans was intercepted by the Birkirkara midfielders with the ball falling kindly into the path of Angus Buhagiar, unmarked on the edge of the area. The former Floriana player dispatched a perfect shot past Falzon.

The Spartans' misery might have increased when Paul Fenech struck a powerful shot from long range but the back-pedalling Falzon just managed to tip the ball onto the crossbar before the swooping Galea was flagged offside by Philip Agius.

A minute before half-time, Birkirkara again threatened to double their lead. There was a goalmouth melee, Zoran Levnaic, yesterday deployed at centre-half, completly missed his clearance and Galea was quick to pounce. His strike was pawed away by Falzon and from the rebound, Jean Pierre Mifsud Triganza lobbed wide.

On the stroke of half-time, the Spartans might have gained a morale booster in the shape of a goal when Borg failed to hold Ryan Fenech's cross but the Stripes defence cleared before Ortega could inflict further damage.

At the start of the second half, Diego Armando Cucciardi, scorer of the Spartans' equaliser against Tarxien, came on for Spiteri. Cucciardi was deployed on the right of Ħamrun's midfield with Dylan Kokavessis taking on the role of sole striker.

Early in the second period, the Stripes' rearguard looked in a state of confusion when asked to deal with an Ortega corner and a subsequent cross from the Brazilian but somehow, they cleared the ball.

On 64 minutes, Ħamrun had their best chance to draw level when Ryan Fenech sent in a cross that came off a Birkirkara defender amid shouts of 'handball' from the Spartans bench. The referee was unmoved but the danger was not over for Birkirkara as the ball bounced in front of Manolito Micallef whose first-time shot from close range was blocked by Borg.

Needing a goal to revive their flailing spirits, the Spartans saw more of the ball as the second half wore on but clearcut openings were proving hard to come by.

In stoppage time, Birkirkara's Joseph Zerafa did well to deflect away a dangerous Spartans attack.

Ħamrun
M. Falzon-6, Z. Levnaic-6, A. Attard-4, R. Ortega-5 ('56 N. Galea-4), Roderick Fenech-6, S. Meilak-5, Ryan Fenech-5.5, R. Mangion-6, G. Spiteri-4 ('46 D.A. Cucciardi-6), D. Kokavessis-6.5, M. Micallef-5 ('69 S. Sultana-5).

Birkirkara
O. Borg-6.5, P. Fenech-6.5, J.P. Mifsud Triganza-6.5, M. Galea-4 ('75 A. Tabone), W. Sander-Landim-4 ('72 M. Anastasi-5), R. Hartvig-5.5, S. Bajada-4, J. Zerafa-6.5, A. Buhagiar-6.5 ('87 T. Paris), G. Mallia-5.5, E. Yantchev-5.5.

Referee: Saviour Tanti.

Yellow cards: Hartvig; Mifsud Triganza; Rod. Fenech; Cucciardi; Attard.

BoV Player of the match: Paul Fenech (Birkirkara).