PIETÀ HOTSPURS-2, MOSTA-3
Mosta eased their relegation fears with a 3-2 victory over strugglers Pietà Hotspurs this evening.
The match was a nailbiting affair with Mosta seemingly on the way to an easy win after surging into a three-goal lead by the 53rd minute only for Pietà to stage a bold fightback.
They managed to get back into contention after scoring two goals in the second half but their desperate efforts to save a point were warded off by the increasingly cagey Mosta.
The first half was a balanced affair but it was Mosta who made the most of their chances to take a 2-0 lead.
Ian Zammit put them ahead after 24 minutes as his piledriver from inside the box gave Pietà goalkeeper Miguel Montfort no chance.
The Hotspurs made a reaction but Mosta almost doubled their lead when Zammit's cross from the right dropped to Karl Pulo but his diagonal volley was wide.
Pietà's Jurgen Pisani then dragged in a fine cross towards Gabriel but the Brazilian's header was kept out by Omar Borg, the Mosta goalkeeper.
Borg did even better moments later as he turned away Claudio Frances's dangerous shot from outside the box.
Two minutes from half-time, Pietà suffered another setback when they conceded a penalty after Montfort brought down the advancing Tyrone Farrugia inside the box. Zammit made no mistake from the spot.
Eight minutes into the second half Mosta moved 3-0 up as Fortune was on hand to tap home from Pulo's low cross, with assistant referee Mario Apap, standing near the goalpost, ruling that the ball had crossed the line when Montfort intervened.
The Hotspurs narrowed the deficit five minutes later, Orosco Anonam scrambling the ball home from close in after Pisani had driven the ball into the six-yard box from Agius's cross.
A brilliant run by Frances created an opening for Pietà but Agius mishit his effort at the far post.
Fortune was guilty of an incredible miss as his point-blank header, from James Brincat's cross, landed wide of the post.
With 19 minutes left, Pietà were back in the game courtesy of Frances who dashed into the box to hit a first-timer past Borg from Agius's cross.
Fortune again wasted a glorious scoring chance, sending his shot over the bar from the edge of the box after Pietà had stopped for offside.
Lautier then dismissed Pietà coach Coleiro for dissent.
Seven minutes from time, Borg saved Anonam's header from Pisani's cross.
At the other end, Brincat curled his shot wide from an inviting position.
Mosta's Zammit was named BOV player of the match.