Ħamrun Spartans 1
Fenech 9

Rabat Ajax 3
Negrin 14; Licari 18, Fuster 35

A goal down after just nine minutes, Rabat Ajax will have been forgiven for fearing the worst as they had fashioned three clearcut chances before Ħamrun Spartans had surged ahead.

The two league strugglers had come into this duel on the back of contrasting results as the Reds had had the better of Balzan and Rabat crashed to a 4-0 defeat to Qormi. To their credit, however, the Magpies refused to let past setbacks undermine their self-belief.

Inspired by their Spanish trio of Jose Luis Amario Negrin, Diego Carrillo Pendas and Manuel Fuster, and the non-stop running of Joseph Caruana, Rabat hit back strongly, scoring three goals in 21 minutes to turn the tables on the Spartans whose abject performance did little to raise optimism about their survival hopes.

Their position doesn’t make for encouraging viewing either as Ħamrun have now slipped to second bottom, one point behind Rabat with Melita, who look doomed, rooted to the bottom.

The return from suspension of David Camilleri and Bledjon Guga failed to sway coach Stefan Sultana into changing his formation from the 3-2 win over Balzan.

Terence Vella spearheaded Ħamrun’s 4-2-3-1 approach with Emiliano Lattes, Daniel Zerafa and Ryan Spiteri.

Two of the three changes in Rabat’s team were enforced upon coach Silvio Vella by the suspension of goalkeeper Sean Mintoff, who was replaced by Jonathan Azzopardi, and the injury to Clive Brincat. His void was filled by the returning Dylan Falzon.

Striker Malcolm Licari played in support of Amario Negrin in Rabat’s 4-2-3-1 formation. The other advanced midfield positions were assigned to Fuster and Carrillo Pendas.

Rabat threatened to seize an early lead when Yan Cauchi supplied a through-ball to Negrin who advanced towards goal only to miscue his shot under pressure from Anthony Curmi, the Ħamrun goalkeeper.

The Magpies remained the brisker side as Carrillo hit a shot that was pawed away by Curmi. Licari’s overhead kick from inside the penalty area dropped on the roof of the net.

Much against the run of play, the Spartans opened the scoring. Lattes’s corner was headed in by captain Roderick Fenech.

Rabat didn’t deserve to fall behind but they took only five minutes to equalise when Fuster cut in from the left before serving Negrin who drilled a low shot past Curmi.

The flurry of scoring opportunities continued, Rabat’s David Azzopardi going close with a rising effort that sailed just wide.

It was not long before Rabat went ahead as, on 18 minutes, Cauchi swung in an inviting cross and Licari’s header soared above Curmi.

The goal was Licari’s 100th in local top-flight football.

Poor passing was hindering the Spartans’ efforts to gain ground as Rabat continued to press all over the pitch.

Just past the half-hour, Rabat’s Caruana, restored to his central midfield station, tried his luck from the distance but his piledriver flew just wide.

The early gulf between the two teams was in ample evidence on 35 minutes when another flowing Rabat move saw Licari pick out Negrin who raced past Curmi before crossing for Fuster who tapped home.

Curmi denied Rabat a fourth goal when blocking Negrin’s effort after the latter had been sent through by Fuster.

Sultana made a double substitution at the start of the second half, Camilleri and Guga replacing Giacomo Favero and Fenech respectively.

Two minutes into the second half, the Reds threatened to pull one back when Spiteri’s cross was met by Zerafa whose header came off the post.

Fuster went close for Rabat with a calibrated effort that ended just high while Loic Lumbilla, who had just come on for Massimo Grima, blasted wide from an angled position. Rabat continued to pose a threat when they attacked.

Two minutes past the hour, Fuster set up Negrin who darted into the box but fired wide.

Needing a goal to get back in business, Ħamrun raised the tempo but Rabat held firm.

It was not before six minutes from time that the Spartans fashioned a scoring chance through Spiteri whose far-post volley rattled the woodwork.

Rabat almost put the game to bed when Carrillo’s grounder ended just wide before Curmi hurled his body in the way of Negrin after the latter had received from Caruana. The penalty ap-peals from the Rabat players were turned down by the referee.

Ħamrun Spartans: A. Curmi-5, G. Azzopardi-4, L. Grech-5, R. Fenech-5 (46 B. Guga-5.5), A. Borg-5, D. Zerafa-5, M. Grima-4 (57 L. Lumbilla-4), R. Spiteri-6, G. Favero-4 (46 D. Camilleri-6), E. Lattes-6, T. Vella-5.

Rabat Ajax: J. Azzopardi-5, I. Carapic-6, J. Caruana-7.5, M. Licari-6.5 (57 J. Felice-5), J.L. Armario Negrin-7 (89 W. Borg), M. Fuster-7.5 (90 G. Gesualdi), D. Falzon-6, D. Carrillo Pendas-7, Y. Cauchi-6.5, D. Azzopardi-6, C. Gauci-6.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.

Yellow cards: Borg; Camilleri; Carrillo; Carapic.

BOV player of the match: Manuel Fuster (Rabat Ajax).

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