FLORIANA 5; ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 1
Floriana comfortably extended their unbeaten run to 10 games with a flattening 5-1 victory Hamrun Spartans.
After going in for the half-time break a goal up, Floriana found their scoring touch in the second half as their flowing football proved too much for Hamrun who gave away three goals in the space of 12 minutes early in the second half.
Before the match, Ħamrun's president Gejtu Debattista presented a commemorative shirt to defender Luke Grech who played his 100th match for the Spartans.
Four minutes from the start of the game had elapsed when Floriana opened the scoring in a defensive blunder. Sergio Raphael and Fredrick Tabone, the Ħamrun goalkeeper looked well-place to deal with Nicolas Chiesa’s lob but both seemed to hesitate, allowing Samb through. The Senegalese accepted the gift by heading the ball into the net.
Ħamrun did try to stage a reaction after Floriana’s early breakthrough but their persistence in attacking through the middle often meant they ran into a wall of Green shirts.
Although Ħamrun looked sharper side before ends were changed, Floriana doubled the lead as they came out for the second half more determined.
Seven minutes after the break, Maurizio Vella did well to float a dangerous cross into the penalty area with the Ħamrun rearguard partially blocking it. The quick-thinking Fontanella took the rebound and slid a low drive which Luke Grech turned into his own net.
Maurizio Vella gave the Ħamrun defence no time to settle. In 58th minute, the Italian winger outfoxed Philip Chircop and sprinted towards goal only to be tripped by Tabone, prompting the referee Malcolm Spiteri to order a penalty.
Unperturbed by his consecutive spot-kick errors in the last two matches, Chiesa, dispatched the ball behind Tabone.
Ħamrun looked down and out but Texeira Maia soon dropped the Spartans a lifeline when the striker darted into the box to beat Justin Haber with a low shot.
Floriana dished out an instant punishment for Ħamrun with Vella from a set-piece bringing a fine save from Tabone and Enzo Ruiz nipping in from the blind side, struck a low shot home.
For a moment, it looked as if Floriana will drop their guard, keeping the control of the proceedings. However, two minutes from time, Ruiz got an unlucky brace, heading home after fine work by the impressive Vella.