St George's stun Pietà

Pietà Hotspurs 1
St George's 2

St George's halted a disappointing run of five defeats and a draw yesterday when they edged promotion favourites Pietà Hotspurs 2-1 to ease their relegation worries.

Pietà only have themselves to blame for this setback after they wasted several scoring chances. Then they lost their composure after Sharlon Pace was sent off on the hour.

Pietà created their first scoring opportunity after 10 minutes, Simon Shead heading just wide from a Carl Sammut cross.

St George's responded on 17 minutes when Mark Gauci launched a counter-attack. After exchanging passes with Iro Curmi, Gauci shot from the edge of the area but his effort was saved by Ivan Cassar.

On 21 minutes, Silvan Ciscaldi's first-time effort from outside the area finished inches over the crossbar and Shead hit wide on two occasions.

Three minutes past the half-hour, Pietà were unlucky not to forge ahead when Ciscaldi's scorcher came off the post.

Pietà took the lead three minutes from half-time when Dominic Mifsud received a pass from Martin Deanov and fired a powerful shot into the net.

Early in the second half, Lee Grima denied the dominant Hotspurs when clearing Deanov's effort off the line. St George's goalkeeper Thomas Galea then stopped Bernard Sciberras's header from a Deanov cross.

St George's almost drew level in their first notable attack of the second half but Benoir Fenech fired wide after being put through by Gauci.

Twelve minutes into the second half, Pietà's Mifsud dribbled his way through on the right before crossing towards the unmarked Deanov who failed to find the target.

On 62 minutes, Pace was dismissed for dissent after both sets of players exchanged heated words following a foul by Sammut on John Nwoba.

Six minutes later, Galea produced a magnificent save from Shead. St George's equalised 20 minutes from time when Gauci controlled the ball well outside the penalty area and rammed a strong shot past Cassar.

Three minutes later, St George's won a penalty when substitute Silvio Sciberras was floored inside the box by Gary Busuttil, another substitute. Glenn Bonello scored from the spot to put St George's ahead.

Five minutes from time, Pietà missed a great chance to equalise when Kevin Michael Robinson blasted wide from close range.

A minute before the end, Pietà were again unlucky when Terrence Vella's cross was reached by Deanov but his header was off target.

Deep into stoppage time, Josef Dalli, who had just replaced Nwoba, missed a glaring chance for the Saints when firing wide from close in.

Pietà Hotspurs
I. Cassar, C. Sammut (T. Vella), C. Spiteri (K.M. Robinson), B. Sciberras, M. Deanov, S. Ciscaldi, S. Shead, J. Poulangoye, D. Mifsud (G. Busuttil), K. Cassar, S. Pace.

St George's
T. Galea, E. Sevasta, C. Schiavone, I. Curmi (S. Sciberras), J. Nwoba (J. Dalli), B. Fenech, M. Gauci (E. Degabriele), E. Amaira, H. Schembri, G. Bonello, L. Grima.

Referee: Esther Farrugia.

Man of the match: Mark Gauci (St George's).