Effiong’s quickfire treble rocks Spartans

Marsaxlokk 6
Brincat 42; Darmanin 55; Licari 65, Effiong 83p, 88, 90p;
Ħamrun Spartans 3
Falzon 25; Spiteri 37, 57;

A quick-fire hat-trick from Alfred Effiong propelled Marsaxlokk to victory over Ħamrun Spartans in an open end-of-season match.

With only pride at stake, the two teams took to the field with little pressure to put up an entertaining show for the sparse crowd present as the Spartans were blown apart after taking a 2-0 lead with Gaetan Spiteri very much in the picture for the Reds.

However, Marsaxlokk were not ready to finish their campaign on a negative note and turned the tide in their favour after sending on their heavy artillery with Effiong netting three times in the space of seven minutes that lifted him on top of the scorers’ list on 17 goals.

Patrick Curmi, the Marsaxlokk coach, opted to leave regular players Reuben Gauci, Peter Pullicino, Rumen Galabov, Effiong, Martin Deanov and Malcolm Licari on the bench to give the likes of Glenn Zammit, Kevin Polidano, Gary Caruana a rare start.

Steve D’Amato, in his final appearance as Ħamrun coach, fielded an all-Maltese line-up with Andrea Cassar replacing Omar Borg in goal while youngsters Daniel Zerafa, Mead Mifsud and Karl Magro were all included in the starting XI.

The first scoring opportunity fell to Marsaxlokk on 18 minutes when Julio Alcorse beat the Spartans’ offside trap but his shot was too central to trouble Cassar.

Marsaxlokk threatened again when Andrew Spiteri released Ryan Darmanin but the latter failed to control the ball and Cassar charged out to block.

At the other end, it was the Spartans who took the lead on 25 minutes when Dyson Falzon did well to control Massimo Grima’s long pass before sliding the ball past Zammit.

The Reds then profited from some poor defending from Marsa-xlokk to double their lead. Ħamrun had just managed to clear the ball upfield from a Marsaxlokk corner when Gaetan Spiteri stole pos-session from Andrew Spiteri before running through and fire the ball into the net.

The Southerners pulled a goal back three minutes from the break when Gareth Sciberras delivered an inviting ball into the box and Clive Brincat hit into the far corner.

Marsaxlokk started playing with more purpose after the break and equalised on 55 minutes when substitute Deanov released Darmanin whose first shot was blocked by Cassar and from the rebound the Blues forward fired the ball home.

The Spartans took just two minutes to restore their lead when Mifsud chipped the ball towards Spiteri who unleashed a powerful drive past the keeper.

Goals continued to flow and on 65 minutes Sunday Eboh out-smarted Karl Magro before setting up Licari who placed a shot beyond Cassar’s reach.

Licari should have struck again on 70 minutes when in a quick break Deanov squared the ball towards his Marsaxlokk team-mate and with only Cassar to beat, he incredibly fired wide.

Then came Effiong’s late show.

It all started with a penalty seven minutes from time, when Grima was harshly judged to have tripped the Marsaxlokk forward who stepped up for the spot-kick and beat Cassar – 4-3.

Effiong was unlucky not to score again when he saw his scorcher rocking the bar but he was not to be denied a minute later when he blasted the ball past Cassar after his first effort had been repelled by the keeper.

Effiong was not finished yet and in time added on he won a second penalty when he was again brought down in the box by Grima.

The Nigerian made no mistake from the spot to complete an astonishing cameo show.

Marsaxlokk: G. Zammit-4, K. Polidano-5.5 (48 M. Deanov-6.5), A. Spiteri-5, C. Brincat-5.5, E. Yanchev-5, S. Eboh-6.5, G. Sciberras-6, G. Caruana-5, T. Templeman-5, R. Darmanin-6.5 (‘59 M. Licari-6), J. Alcorse-5.5 (71 A. Effiong-7).

Ħamrun Spartans: A. Cassar-4, M. Grima-5, R. Mangion-5, R. Fenech-5, D. Zerafa-5 (54 C. Debattista-5), M. Mifsud-6 (70 P. Anizoba-5), K. Magro-5, L.J. Agius-6.5 (82 C. Cardona), D. Falzon-6, G. Spiteri-7, D. Camilleri-5.

Referee: Glen Tonna.

Yellow card: Darmanin.

BOV Player of the match: Gaetan Spiteri (Ħamrun Spartans).

Leading Scorers

17 goals Effiong (Marsaxlokk)
15 goals Scerri (Valletta)
14 goals Spiteri (Ħamrun)
13 goals Nwoke (Floriana)
Mifsud Triganza (Sliema)