Għarghur 1
Stewart 9;
Sliema 2
Bezzina 75; Muscat 88;
Defender Alex Muscat spared Sliema Wanderers’ blushes on the day he extended his stay at the Premier League club with another four-year contract after scoring a late winner against Għargħur, yesterday.
The Wanderers, the most successful side in the FA Trophy with 20 successes, bombarded the Għargħur defence after falling one goal behind.
However, it was only near the end that they managed to equalise and then score the winner to oust the Division Two side and reach the quarter-finals.
Sliema, who also announced the signing of former Birkirkara striker Shola Haruna Shodiya yesterday, could have sealed the issue earlier but wasted several scoring opportunities and when they found a way through they were denied by keeper Zach Valletta.
Valletta made his first smart save on four minutes when keeping out Marko Potezika’s shot and then Kyle Hendry brought the best out of the Għargħur keeper.
Sliema ventured forward but on nine minutes Christian Stewart was left unmarked inside the Blues’ box to hit home from Ryan Sell’s pass.
On 14 minutes a Ledesma free-kick was stopped by Valletta and Ledesma had another chance but headed over the crossbar from a Hendry cross.
Muscat sprinted down the flank and fired a grounder but Valletta was up to it.
Before half-time Sliema went close to an equaliser only for Ledesma to see his effort saved in style by Valletta.
Sliema surged forward in attack in the second half.
Hendry missed a sitter when all alone in front of goal as Valletta was on the right spot to keep out a Muir shot.
An Aiden Friggieri header failed to reach the desired target and 16 minutes from time a Ledesma free-kick hit the upright.
The Wanderers were starting to lose hope but on 75 minutes Johann Bezzina was put through by Ledesma and he slotted home the equaliser.
Għargħur were nowhere to be seen now and two minutes from time the comeback was completed when a Muir delivery reached Muscat who fired the ball into the roof of the net.
Għargħur: Z. Valletta, M. Fleri Soler, P. Grima, K. Fedele, R. Sell, N. Vella (K. Azzopardi), S. Dimech, M. Deanov, C. Stewart, A. Buhagiar (N. Zammit), I. Chircop (M. Busuttil).
Sliema: G. Zammit, A. Muscat, M. Scerri, R. Ledesma (O. Elouni), C. Gatt Baldacchino, M. Potezica (L. Dimech), A. Friggieri, J. Bezzina, K. Hendry, G. Muir, S. Bianciardi.
Yellow cards: Gatt Baldacchino, Chircop (GĦ).
Referee: Stefan Pace.