Floriana 0
Melita 0
This was a stalemate that offered little respite for Floriana and Melita. Both teams came into the match badly in need of points to boost their position in the standings.
The patched-up Greens were looking to put to an end a frustrating run of three draws and a defeat while the Amateurs were also under pressure to get back to winning ways in their bid to close the gap with third-bottom Ħamrun Spartans.
In the end, the poor run of form in the two teams left a negative effect on this contest as for long stretches the match was a drab affair and desperately bereft of scoring chances. It was only in the final stages that the encounter burst to life but the respective defences held firm for the stalemate to prevail.
Melita will be happier of the two with the final outcome as they cut the gap with Ħamrun to two points.
On the other side, Floriana did merited a point but it will not have escaped coach Stephen Azzopardi that his team had failed to find the net for the second consecutive game and they’re without a win in their last five matches.
Last week, Azzopardi lost the services of striker Ryan Darmanin who joined Balzan. Luke Casha was given the nod to fill the void left by Darmanin while former Mansfield midfielder Gary Roberts made his debut.
Azzopardi selected a 4-1-2-3 format with Igor Coroando and the returning Trevor Cilia playing either side of Casha, the central striker in the Floriana’s formation.
Melita were led from the dug-out by assistant coach Alejandro Martinez Lopez as coach Patxi Salinas started a three-match touchline ban.
Tobias Terpougoff and Jean Pierre Attard paid the price for their lame showing against Balzan as they were replaced by Luke Bianco and Michael Valenzia.
As usual, George Gribbon was Melita’s holding midfielder in their traditional 4-1-3-2 formation which was spearheaded by Cabanillas Ayllon and Luke Micallef.
Inside the first five minutes, Casha threatened for Floriana when he reached Cilia’s ball but his header went wide.
Floriana dominated possession in the opening half but rarely stretched Melita beyond routine work. On 23 minutes, Coronado tested Gabilondo Garcia with a curling effort destined for the left-hand corner of the net but the goalkeeper stretched his hands to claw the ball away.
Roberts was proving to be an instant hit, deployed in a deep position and in front of the Floriana defence. He showed expectional leadership qualities when coming out confidently with the ball out of his own half.
Midway through the first half, Roberts showed all his qualities when he embarked on a mazy run that took him past three opponents but was closed down as he was about to pull the trigger.
The game descended into a battle of attrition with both sides toiling to make headway in attack.
Melita brought on Terpougoff for Bianco at the start of the second period. Minutes into the second half, Floriana goalkeeper Tony Warner fisted away Gribbon’s header following a Valenzia’s free-kick.
On the hour mark, Coronado dispossessed Matthew Borg before picking out Roberts whose first-time volley flew wide.
Azzopardi then made his first substitution, bringing on Carl Tremarco for Casha. Short in attacking options, the Greens’ mentor deployed Clyde Borg as a makeshift striker.
The introduction of Jean Pierre Attard for Micallef prompted an improved display from the Melita forward players, particularly Cabanillas Ayllon. He did well to connect to Manuel Sierra Camacho’s cross but his powerful header flew just wide off the far post.
On the other side, Tremarco fired in a trademark long throw-in that caused chaos inside the Melita penalty area but Clyde Borg fired wide.
At last, the two teams brought some much-needed intensity to the match.
Floriana built up a head of steam as the fourth official’s board signalled five minutes of added time and forced a couple of corners, which, however, yielded no result.
Melita almost won it at the death when Matthew Borg picked up a short clearance by Tremarco, only to shoot weakly into the hands of Warner from a good position.
Floriana
T. Warner-6, K. Farrugia-6, O. Bugeja-6, T. Paris-6, T. Cilia-6, G. Roberts-6.5, I. Coronado-7, D. Pisani-6.5, L. Casha-6 (61 C. Tremarco-5.5), C. Borg-6, S. Borg-6.
Melita
G. Gabilondo Garcia-6, M. Borg-6, M. Sierra Camacho-7, I. Tufegzic-6.5, G. Gribbon-6.5, M. Martin-5, M. Valenzia-5.5 (72 N. Vella Petroni), A. Caruana Scicluna-6, L. Bianco-4 (46 T. Terpougoff-6), L. Micallef-4 (61 J.P. Attard-5.5), D. Cabanillas Ayllon-6.
Referee: Marco Borg.
Yellow cards: M. Borg, Roberts, Cabanillas Ayllon, Sierra Camacho, Warner.
BOV player of the match: Igor Coronado (Floriana).
Attendance: 338.