Malta produced a very efficient, all-round performance yesterday to see off Croatia and put themselves within touching distance of preserving the team’s place in Division 2A for another qualifying campaign.
Facing a must-win scenario against a Croatian team that always proved to be difficult opponents for our national team, Malta coach Damien Neill urged his men to show their true mettle to obtain victory in such a key, vital fixture.
The players responded in style with an all-round display of solid defending and dazzling attacking play. In fact, Malta hit five tries on their way to a comfortable victory, the second in succession, that consolidated third place in the standings, seven points clear of second-bottom Croatia with only two matches to go.
Neill effected one change from the team that beat Lithuania 13-10 away the week before as experienced winger Oliver Sacco was drafted into the starting XV at the expense of Matthew Camilleri.
The home team were handed an opportunity to draw first blood inside the first six minutes from a penalty but James O’Brien just missed the uprights.
But Malta soon made up for that miss.
From a scrum, Toby Quarendon released James Kirk on the right and the winger sped over the line for the first try of the match. O’Brien got into range this time and Malta opened a 7-0 lead.
Neill’s men were clearly on top at this juncture and on 13 minutes they almost struck again when Quarendon stole possession before releasing O’Brien who was blocked a few metres away from the goal line.
But the noisy crowd that had packed the Corradino ground stands did not have to wait too long to see their favourites chalking up further points.
Daniel Apsee burst through the Croatia backline with the ball falling to skipper Dominic Busuttil who whizzed past three opponents and score a second try.
O’Brien, again, converted to double Malta’s lead to 14-0.
However, Croatia were not going to lose this one without a fight and made their intentions clear.
Eight minutes from the break, the Maltese conceded a penalty in their own half which was taken quickly by the Croatians. The ball fell into the path of Marco Grcic and he sped over the try line. Nik Jurisic missed the conversion.
The visitors grew in stature and four minutes from the break Jurisic converted a penalty.
At the break, Malta led 14-8.
However, Neill’s half-time talk must have left its effect on his players as they started the second half with renewed verve.
It took Malta just three minutes from the restart to extend their advantage.
The excellent Quarendon retrieved possession and dashed through before releasing O’Brien who immediately set the sprinting Daniel Apsee on his way to grab a third try. O’Brien missed the conversion.
With 15 minutes remaining Neill looked to bolster his backline when he withdrew Daniel Holliday and introduced Daniel Cerketa.
The visitors were trying every trick to break the solid Maltese defensive lines but their hopes of a comeback were jolted with ten minutes to go when, after a protracted move, Stivala sidestepped two opponents to bypass the tryline. O’Brien scored the conversion and Malta now led 26-8.
The hosts were forced to play the last five minutes with a player less when Dominic Busuttil was yellow carded for dissent and Croatia duly profited as Tonci Buzov powered his way through for a try. Jurisic missed his shot (26-13).
O’Neill was urging his team to maintain focus, not to let Croatia back into the match. O’Brien looked concentrated enough to convert a central penalty and add another three useful points to Malta’s tally.
However, the win was sealed a minute later with a fifth try that had style written all over.
Sam Borg’s deft kick played in Quarendon. He did well to put Kirk through with a long ball and the winger showed some great reflexes and balance before scoring his second try of the match.
Croatia kept pushing and scored a ‘consolation’ try by Luka Perlain which was not converted by Jurisic.
But Malta had the final say with another O’Brien penalty to seal a very important victory to the delight of an ecstatic crowd.
Line-ups
Malta: R. Apsee, A. Kennedy, D. Holliday, C. Schranz, D. Deguara, S. Borg, D. Apsee 5, M. Davey, V. Stivala 5, J. Morris, O. Sacco, D. Busuttil 5, T. Quarendon, J. O’Brien 12, J. Kirk 10.
Subs used: D. Cerketa, J. Ellul, M. Camilleri.
Croatia: M. Borozan, I. Miljak, L. Monetarist, L. Jurcevic, D. Juievic, T. Gumancic, J. Lucic, T. Buzov 5, M. Bunic, N. Jurisic 3, F. Mimic, I. Suta, D. Oxenham, M. Grcic 5, L. Lerotic.
Subs used: J. Newton, L. Perlain 5, D. Brecica, J. Popovic, M. Tvrdic, A. Burst.
Referee: I. Gallestrgi (Spain).
Standings
The Netherlands (4-0-0) 18; Swit-zerland (4-0-1) 18; Malta (3-0-3) 14; Croatia (1-0-5) 7; Lithuania (1-0-4) 5.