Pietà Hotspurs 2
Anonam 58; Frances 71
Mosta 3
Zammit 24, 43 pen; Fortune 53

This was a typical relegation tiff with no quarter given neither asked for.

Mosta looked to be headed to an easy victory after racing into a three-goal lead but they ended up winning by the skin of their teeth after Pietà’s hauled themselves back into contention with two second-half goals.

While the game produced unrelenting drama, it also featured some shambolic defending from both teams whose disjointed performance reflected their lowly positions in the standings.

As it turned out, Mosta were indebted to Ian Zammit as he scored a double to ease his team’s relegation worries.

The Blues had a couple of inviting chances to add to their lead but Udo Fortune fluffed two glorious opportunities, albeit that would have been harsh on the spirited Hotspurs who had given as much as they got, with Claudio Frances providing the inspiration.

The Hotspurs’ 4-1-3-2 approach had Orosco Anonam stationed in front of the back four and Ricardo Costa leading the line alongside Luke Micallef.

Peter Smith, the Mosta coach, opted for 4-2-3-1 with Fortune at the tip.

Mosta made the brighter start with Pulo an energetic figure on the left wing but in their first notable foray, the Hotspurs almost broke the stalemate as Frances’s dipping cross landed at the feet of Jurgen Pisani but his scrambled volley was wide.

Pietà thought they had scored when Frances’s corner was met by Ricardo Costa but his glancing header was cleared off the line.

Zammit had a low shot saved by Miguel Montfort but the Hotspurs were now producing the better stuff. Gabriel was high and wide after pouncing on a loose ball from a corner.

The game was 24 minutes old when Mosta surged ahead. It was Zammit who delivered the goods as he controlled the ball just inside the box before dispatching a rising shot that flew between Montfort and the near post.

The game remained balanced with the two teams committed to attack. Zammit’s movement was proving a handful for the Pietà defenders. Drifting to the right, he delivered an excellent cross towards the far post but Pulo, unmarked, volleyed high.

Pietà swiftly transferred the ball forward as Pisani crossed for Gabriel but the latter’s header was fisted away by Omar Borg. The Mosta goalkeeper then pulled off a fine save to touch away Frances’s screamer.

Two minutes from half-time, Pietà’s evening took a turn another negative twist. Their failure to clear a Zammit free-kick proved costly as the ball was deflected into the path of Farrugia who tried to go past Montfort only to be brought down.

Referee Chris Lautier showed the keeper a yellow card but Zammit exacted maximum punishment on Montford as he hit home from the penalty spot.

On the cusp of half-time, Borg blocked Grech’s header from Frances’s corner.

Pietà’s hopes of clawing their way back into the match receded further eight minutes into the second half as Fortune was on hand to poke home from Pulo’s low cross, with additional assistant referee Mario Apap, standing close to the goalpost, ruling that the ball had crossed the line when Montfort intervened.

But, the Hotspurs pulled one back five minutes later, Anonam scrambling his shot home from close in after Pisani had guided the ball into the six-yard box from Agius’s cross.

A dazzling run by Frances created an opening for Pietà but Agius miscued his effort at the far post.

Fortune was guilty of a glaring miss as his point-blank header, from James Brincat’s cross, landed wide of the post.

With 19 minutes left, Pietà revived their hopes courtesy of the outstanding Frances who flashed into the box to hit first-time past Borg from Agius’s cross.

Fortune again spurned a glorious chance, lifting his shot over the bar after Pietà had stopped for offside. Lautier then dismissed Pietà coach Noel Coleiro for dissent.

Leo Fortunato was now playing as striker as the Hotspurs threw caution to the wind.

Seven minutes from time, Borg saved Anonam’s header from Pisani’s cross.

Pietà Hotspurs: M. Montfort-4, C. Attard-5.5, L. Fortunato-6, C. Grech-6, J. Pisani-6.5, O. Anonam-6.5, R. Rodrigues-6 (70 K. Micallef-6.5), Gabriel-5.5, L. Micallef-4 (46 K. Cesare-5.5), C. Frances-8, R. Costa-5 (46 D. Agius-6.5).

Mosta: O. Borg-5.5, T. Farrugia-6, M. Brincat-6.5, O. Koli-4, D. Falzon-4, K. Pulo-6.5 (53 J. Brincat-6), R. Grech-5, K. Magro-6.5, I. Zammit-7.5, U. Fortune-5 (90 Z. Muscat), H. Babangida-5.5 (85 A. Borg).

Referee: Chris Lautier.

Yellow cards: Montfort; Koli.

BOV player of the match: Ian Zammit (Mosta).

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