Nadur Youngsters 0
Hamrun Spartans 2
J. Grech 49, 90;
Ħamrun Spartans booked their place in the last 16 of the FA Trophy following a 2-0 win over Nadur Youngsters last night.
In the Fourth Round, Ħamrun play First Division side Mqabba, next Wednesday.
Nadur gave their all in a well-contested encounter. The visitors saw more of the ball, as anticipated, but the Youngsters did well to stay in contention until the very last seconds of the match before Jake Grech made it 2-0 with his second goal of the evening.
Skipper Grech had netted the opener during the early stages of the second period and he then sealed the issue for the Reds to advance in the competition.
For most of the time during the opening half, play took place in midfield as Ħamrun found it difficult to settle down and create danger on the Nadur goal.
The Youngsters not only defended well and kept their opponents away from their penalty area but they also operated on quick breaks and had a couple of chances to open the score first.
Ħamrun best scoring opportunity of the first half arrived on 20 minutes through a strike by Massimiliano Giusti that ended just high while Nadur went closest to scoring on 41 minutes through a shot by Milos Stojanovic that was saved in two attempts by keeper David Cassar.
The visitors had an excellent start to the second half though and opened the score when a Grech free-kick took a deflection on its way inside the Nadur net.
Grech had a goal disallowed for offside a few minutes later as Nadur replied on 55 minutes with a Stojanovic grounder that ended just wide.
Nadur were enjoying more of the possession now and on 66 minutes they protested for a penalty after Dewide Dos Santos was grounded inside the Spartans box but the referee waved play on.
Cassar was then well placed to block in two attempts a Claudio Antunes strike from the distance.
Ħamrun could have made sure of the victory but two attempts on separate occasions by Giusti were both neutralised by the Nadur goalkeeper.
The hosts almost drew level on 90 minutes but Antunes’s free-kick was stopped in style by Cassar.
Then, from a counter attack in the third minute of stoppage time, Ħamrun made sure of the qualification after scoring their second goal through Grech who placed his shot beyond the keeper’s reach.
Nadur Youngsters
M. Grima, J. Buttigieg, D. Stojanovic, C. Hili, R. Da Silva, S. Attard, S. Muscat (J. Grima 72), M. Stojanovic, C. Antunes, D. Dos Santos, M. Zerafa (C. Debono 80).
Ħamrun Spartans
D. Cassar, N. Saturday, P. Chircop, L. Sciberras, M.N. Jorge, M. Giusti (T. Cilia 88), L. Grech, M. Micallef, J. Grech, L.M. Vergara Rodrigues, P.J. Teixeira Maia (J.P. Mifsud Triganza 76).
Referee: Glenn Tonna.