In 1947-48, the rivalry between Valletta and Ħamrun Spartans was at an all-time high.
This rivalry intensified when the two teams qualified for the Cassar Cup. Ħamrun were drawn against Army champions RAF Safi while Valletta were paired with the First Coast Regiment RMA.
The Spartans did not find it difficult to beat the RAF team but for Valletta it was a different story.
Ħamrun scored first after some good work by Ġużi Buttigieg. His shot was stopped by Armstrong but the ball rebounded off to Sciberras who fired home.
Miller equalised for the RAF but the Spartans again went ahead when Willie Buttigieg scored from an offside position.
Safi started the second half on a top note and it was not long before they drew level. The Spartans, however, went 3-2 in front when Willie Buttigieg profited from a misunderstanding between Berry and Nenu Calleja and scored with a header.
RAF Safi did not give up though.
They tried hard to save the game but Buttigieg made it 4-2 with a clever individual effort. It was all over now and two other goals by the Buttigieg brothers handed the Spartans a place in the final.
The game between Valletta and the RMA team never reached great heights.
The early exchanges were in favour of the RMA. Soon, Valletta settled but the Gunners’ defence covered well and rarely gave the City forwards a peep at goal.
Then, just before half-time Frans Scifo snapped up a clearance and scored with a spectacular grounder.
In the second half, Valletta were awarded a penalty but their joy was short-lived because Ġużi Scifo parried Alfie Pearson’s shot.
A few minutes later the RMA went 2-0 ahead. Ġużi Lofaro raced upfield before driving the ball into the net.
The game was now won and lost and three minutes from time Johnnie Alamango calmly beat two opponents before hitting a glorious drive past Camilleri.
There is no doubt that the First Coast Regiment RMA were one of the best teams on the island during that period. Reinforced by some of the best Maltese footballers, the Gunners dominated service football.
The dominance of the First Coast Regiment RMA reached its peak in 1947-48 when they won the Army League, the Army Cup and the United Service Cup.
But their greatest achievement that season was the Cassar Cup victory after beating Ħamrun in the final.
With players like Ġużi Scifo in goal, the hard-working Gejtu Sacco, wingers Lofaro and Horace Herbert and the great Salvinu Schembri in midfield forming the backbone of the team, the Coast’s feat came as no surprise to the connoisseurs of Maltese football at the time.
In the Cassar Cup final, the Coasts swept the Spartans off their feet. They won 3-1 to become the first service team since 1939 to win the coveted trophy.
Many agree that Schembri made all the difference between the two teams in the final.
Although he was tightly marked by Mallia, he created havoc in the Reds defence.
No one could argue that the Coasts deserved the verdict.