Pietà, Mosta share spoils in six-goal thriller

Pietà Hotspurs 3
Mosta 3

Mosta dropped two precious points in their quest to win promotion after being held to a draw by a battling Pietà side in a six-goal thriller that also featured two red cards.

The Hotspurs stunned Mosta by taking a third-minute lead. Sheldon Grech’s long pass released Jurgen Pisani who fired past Jonathan Debono, the Mosta goalkeeper.

This goal put Mosta under intense pressure and it showed as Oliver Spiteri’s men looked very erratic in the early stages.

Mark Briggs’s free-kick on 16 minutes finished just wide and four minutes later, Lee Grima was first to William Camenzuli’s cross but his header was saved by Kersten Vella.

Mosta settled down as the first half moved on but their final touch was often inaccurate. They received a boost when, nine minutes from half-time, Vella failed to hold Camenzuli’s cross-shot and Grima tapped home, although the ball appeared to have bounced beyond the line before the latter got a touch to it.

Mosta tried again a minute later when Camenzuli missed the target. But, five minutes from half-time, it was Pietà who regained the lead when Pisani capitalised on a mistake by Mosta’s Mark Brincat and beat Debono with a low drive.

Early in the second half, Pietà’s hopes suffered a setback as Pisani was sent off after being shown a second yellow card but minutes later, Mosta suffered the same fate when Grima was red-carded.

Mosta drew level on 56 minutes. Gilbert Martin was too fast for the Hotspurs’ rearguard but his run was stopped by an irregular challenge from Ryan Mifsud. Kane Farrugia converted the resultant penalty.

Heartened by their equaliser, Mosta grew in stature. On the hour mark, Camenzuli found Simon Shead who passed to Briggs but the latter’s drive just missed the target.

Camenzuli continued to run the show, hitting shots from every angle but the Pietà custodian held firm. On 70 minutes, the Hotspurs were unlucky when Christian Grech sprinted past two defenders but his drive came off the crossbar.

Mosta went ahead for the first time when Martin and Firaz Aboulezz played a good one-two and Shead slotted the ball home,.

Ryan Deguara could have added a fourth for Mosta but his effort hit the top of the crossbar.

Pietà refused to give in and their efforts were rewarded three minutes from time.

Bandeira served Zack Muscat who struck a half-volley that had the better of Debono.

Pietà; K. Vella, C. Grech, C. Spiteri, R. Mifsud (L. Farrugia), B. Sciberras, Q. Refalo (T. Agius), R.L. Bandeira, S. Grech, Z. Muscat (J. Azzopardi), J. Pisani, I. Grech.

Mosta: J. Debono, A. Borg (B. Agius), K. Farrugia, M. Brincat, W. Camenzuli, N. Bogdanovic, M. Briggs, L. Grima, G. Martin (R. Deguara), S. Shead, V. Osobu (F. Aboulezz).

Referee: Kevin Azzopardi.

Man of the match: William Camenzuli (Mosta).