Kirkop United 0
Rabat Ajax 3

Rabat Ajax found little difficulty in soaring into the fourth round of the FA Trophy thanks to a fine win over Kirkop United, at the Centenary Stadium, yesterday.

A Justin Felice double and a Dylan Falzon goal made the difference between the two sides and as time passed there was no doubt who will be in the hat for the draw on Tuesday.

After eliminating Naxxar Lions from the competition, Kirkop failed to surprise the Magpies but still showed their worth, particularly in the opening stages, against the Division One pace setters.

In fact, it was the Division Two outfit, managed by player-coach Albert Busuttil, that immediately ventured forward and could have taken a shock lead.

On 17 minutes, defender Christopher Farrugia hit a missile from outside the area that rattled the Rabat crossbar and a minute later an Ivan Stankovic free-kick, from around 30 metres out, just missed the target.

Rabat were finding it hard to find spaces but on 26 minutes they finally managed to forge ahead when Falzon slotted the ball home following a Vilson Caushi corner.

Rabat could have made it 2-0 five minutes from the break.

Stankovic lost ball possession in midfield and Felice was quick to pass the ball to Alan Zahra whose cross into the area was blocked for a corner by Busuttil before Adam Smeir could conclude.

Silvio Vella’s Rabat doubled the score on 55 minutes, Felice hitting home from the edge of the area following a Christopher Schembri throughpass.

On 75 minutes Rabat put the game to bed thanks to Felice who slotted the ball home following a fine choral move involving most of his team-mates in attack.

Kirkop: C. Francica, C. Farrugia (L. Zammit), B. Bugeja, L. Cumbo, A. Busuttil, P.P. Cassar (M. Cauchi), B. Falzon, I. Stankovic, R. Kerekov, J. Gerada, M. Theuma (D. Zammit).

Rabat: J. Azzopardi, N. Caruana (W. Borg), C. Schembri, J. Caruana, J. Felice, A. Zahra (Y. Cauchi), A. Smeir, D. Falzon, C. Muscat (S. Gauci), V. Caushi, D. Azzopardi.

Referee: Philip Farrugia.