Floriana 1
Marsaxlokk 4
Two goals to the good and a man up inside the opening 17 minutes, Marsaxlokk looked on their way to a straightforward win over Floriana yesterday. A glance at the 4-1 scoreline would suggest that the champions had an easy afternoon but that was not the case.
It took Floriana a while to recover from their early setback but showing the kind of positive play that enabled them to stay in the upper part of the table this season, the Greens stormed into their fading opponents.
Despite the numerical handicap, Floriana were close to level the score at 2-2 after they pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time. The only plausible explanation for their failure to gain a point is the excellent display of keeper Reuben Debono and Marsa-xlokk's efficiency in front of goal.
Floriana coach Danilo Doncic was deprived of key players Darko Krsteski and Trevor Cilia.
Brian Talbot, the Marsaxlokk mentor, handed Julio Alcorse his first start. The Briton's decision to recall Charlò Magro at the expense of captain Carlo Mamo meant that Steve Wellman was re-positioned at left-back in a 4-4-2 formation.
Alcorse needed only six minutes to justify his inclusion in the first team as the Argentine fired his side into the lead with a header from a corner.
Within three minutes, Doncic was impelled to make his first substitution as midfielder Mauro Brincat's participation was curtailed by injury.
Floriana's troubles deepened on 14 minutes when Owen Bugeja was sent off for tripping Alcorse. Referee Paul Caruana ruled that Bugeja had denied the striker a clear scoring opportunity, much to the chagrin of the Floriana fans who felt that the decision was too harsh.
Moments after Bugeja's exit, Marsaxlokk almost doubled their lead but Magro's scorcher came off the post. The Greens' reprieve was temporary though as on 17 minutes, the southerners made it 2-0, Mark Barbara beating Simon Agius with a back-post header from a Kevin Sammut cross.
Buoyed by their cushion lead and a one-man advantage, Marsaxlokk would have tripled their lead by the half hour had Agius not turned Sammut's shot around the near post.
Floriana tried to make a reaction. Christian Caruana's tame effort was easily saved by Debono while Yala Bolasie's fierce drive flew high and wide.
Four minutes from half-time, Agius needed two touches to tame a shot by Peter Pullicino but in their next foray Floriana reduced the deficit.
Having dispossessed Barbara inside the Marsaxlokk box, Caruana stepped past a defender but his central effort was parried by Debono. The loose ball dropped in front of Ryan Darmanin whose shot hit the base of the post before going in.
The Greens might have equalised moments later but Bolasie's drive drew a fine save from Debono.
With Manolito Micallef and Bolasie roaring forward with power and agility, Floriana started the second half in the same lively fashion as they had finished the first.
Marsaxlokk's Renato Conceicao did well to head away a dangerous Caruana corner but then the Blues were somewhat lucky to maintain their lead. After Bolasie's cross had just eluded Darmanin, Christian Cassar managed to lay the ball back to Micallef whose attempt at goal was deflected away for a corner.
Floriana's commitment at this stage was such that those who entered the stadium after the red-card incident were unlikely to notice that Marsa-xlokk had an extra man on the pitch.
Debono repelled a Bolasie shot after the latter had been set up by Caruana on 66 minutes. Within seconds, Floriana ought to have equalised when Cassar's cross was met by Micallef but his header was ably stopped by Debono.
The Marsaxlokk keeper's sequence of saves took on extra significance for in an isolated attack, Marsaxlokk restored their two-goal lead on 68 minutes, Malcolm Licari rolling the ball home after receiving from Frendo.
For the umpteenth time, Floriana came close to scoring but were again denied by the excellent Debono who warded off Micallef's goalbound effort.
Marsaxlokk again made full profit of their goalkeeper's safe handling as, 20 minutes from time, they wrapped up victory.
Latching onto a short pass from Sammut in the box, Sciberras got a touch to the ball which took a decisive deflection off Agius on its way into the net.
Darmanin could have lifted Floriana's morale but his header from a Cassar service dropped wide.
Micallef, with a shot from an angled position, was again frustrated by Debono whose performance gave Marsaxlokk their second win on the trot and shot them into second place on 25 points, one ahead of Floriana.
Floriana: S. Agius-4.5, O. Bugeja, E. Sevasta-4, M. Micallef-8, C. Ciantar-5.5, M. Brincat ('9 J. Briffa-5.5), C. Cassar-6, Z. Levnaic-5, C. Caruana-6.5 ('72 M. Gauci), Y. Bolasie-7, R. Darmanin-5.
Marsaxlokk: R. Debono-8, S. Wellman-5 ('63 C. Mamo-5), M. Licari-5.5, C. Magro-5.5, R. Con-ceicao-7, C. Frendo-7, K. Sammut-6, M. Barbara-5 ('46 T. Templeman-5), P. Pullicino-5 ('46 J. Pace-5), G. Sciberras-6, J. Alcorse-6.
Referee: Paul Caruana.
Scorers: Alcorse 6; Barbara 17; Darmanin 43; Licari 68; Agius og 70.
Yellow cards: Pullicino; Well-man; Briffa; Ciantar.
Red card: Bugeja (F) 14.
BoV Player of the match: Reuben Debono (Marsaxlokk).