Double-figure scores are rare in football and almost unthinkable nowadays. The game has progressed so much that the difference between the top and bottom teams in a league table has been reduced considerably.
In the 1960s, however, such scores were still possible but nonetheless uncommon.
In the first weeks of the 1961-62 season, the number of goals scored in the league was way below average. However, after a dry period always comes the rain and this is what happened on the last weekend of November 1961.
On Saturday, Sliema Wanderers went on a goal spree. Showing real championship form, they trounced neighbours Gżira United 8-0.
It was a score that astonished the sporting public but the sensation lasted only 24 hours because the next day, Valletta humiliated Rabat by the fantastic score of 13-0!
One has to delve into the record books to find a senior league match that was won by such a huge margin. In fact, it was way back in January 22, 1921 that Marsa United beat Qormi United 13-0.
Tony Calleja, playing at centre-forward, headed the list with four goals. Josie Urpani and Connor got a hat-trick each.
Frankie Zammit scored two while Vincent Gauci converted a penalty.
Therefore, on a short weekend when only two games were played, 22 goals were scored which were six fewer than the number of goals scored until then in the whole competition.
The match between Valletta and Rabat was rather dull apart from the goals.
The Citizens had a field day and with the Magpies offering only token resistance, there was absolutely nothing to enthuse the crowd present. Not even the usually boisterous Valletta supporters could raise a cheer as their favourites waltzed and danced around their bewildered opponents.
There was a lot of talk in those days that seven teams in the first division were too many. It is hard for us these days to understand this argument but the circumstances certainly favoured this line of thinking.
If any confirmation were needed that the first division needed to be cut down to six teams, the disparity between Valletta and Rabat provided the answer.
To make matters worse, when the Citizens took a 4-0 lead, Rabat’s centre-forward Charlie Chircop threw in the towel and left the field.
Rabat had already made their two substitutions so he left his colleagues to fight on against vastly superior opponents with a man short.
The pattern of things to come was set in the third minute of the game when Connor headed in the first goal.
Once the floodgates were opened Valletta were unstoppable.
Five minutes later Calleja made it 2-0 before Rabat produced their first and only attack of the game which nearly yielded a goal. Chircop’s lob beat Stivala in goal only for Johnnie Attard to head clear on the fatal line.
Two minutes later, however, Urpani headed home goal number three and Rabat’s resistance was broken.
One goal followed the other until the ball-boy had no more balls to sling up his pole and the crowd had to fall on their mental arithmetic to keep count of the goals.