Msida St Joseph 7
Pietà Hotspurs 0

Msida St Joseph revived their hopes of retaining top-flight status at the end of the season after hammering Pietà Hotspurs to the tune of seven goals to nil.

As the final scoreline clearly testifies it was a non-contest with Msida overwhelming their rivals right from the word go.

The Hotspurs were always fighting a lost battle as their cause was certainly not helped following the dismissal of goalkeeper Miguel Montfort after barely nine minutes. That episode all but ended their hopes of returning home with something in the bag.

Cameroon forward Priso Doding was the chief tormentor for the Hotspurs with his surging runs completely tearing apart the static opponents' defence. It was no surprise that he ended up scoring a remarkable four goals.

Carmel Busuttil, the Pietà coach, has good reason to be dismayed with this outcome.

With a player down, his team lacked any tactical shape and discipline and ended with a humiliating defeat that hampers considerably their aspiration of avoiding the Relegation Pool.

There is only one point separating Pietà and Msida in the standings with the Hotspurs trailing sixth-placed Hamrun Spartans by a staggering five-point margin. Certainly they need to put in a huge effort to get themselves back in the reckoning.

Msida coach Patrick Curmi was forced to do without Brazilian forward Gilberto Dos Santos who picked up an injury in training. He was replaced by Doding. The latter was making a return to the first team alongside Stefano Grima, Dino Cachia and goalkeeper Manuel Bartolo.

Ryan Camilleri earned a recall in the Pietà starting formation after recovering from injury while Domenic Mifsud also returned to start among the substitutes.

Carl Sammut, Glanville Goodlip and Silvan Ciscaldi were not included in the Pietà 18-man squad named by Busuttil.

The match had a storming start as the referee was compelled to show a red card. Msida striker Pedrinho burst through the Pietà defence and his attempt to chip the ball over the onrushing Montfort was stopped by the arms of the Pietà goalkeeper outside the box. Montfort was sent in for an early shower.

Mark Vella was introduced in place of Sheldon Grech but the Pietà no. 2 goalkeeper was soon beaten when Pedrinho's free-kick rolled into the back of his net.

Doding came agonisingly close to double Msida's advantage when he burst his way past three opponents, including Vella, but he incredibly tapped the ball wide with an open goal at his mercy.

Pietà were unlucky not to equalise on 24 minutes when Deanov's dipping shot from a free-kick came off the woodwork with Bartolo beaten. Msida soon hit back and 60 seconds later they doubled their lead. Doding controlled a long clearance and after exchanging the ball with Pedrinho, the Cameroon forward blasted home.

Msida's quick breaks were clearly hurting the Hotspurs and 12 minutes from half-time the Saints struck again. Pio Sciriha's through ball freed Adrian Farrugia who outpaced his marker before firing a rasping drive that gave Vella no chance.

Pedrinho's contribution to the match came to an end on 41 minutes when he limped off injured. He was replaced by Gilbert Camilleri.

Msida should have added further misery to the Hotspurs two minutes from the break. Doding's pace was again too much for his marker and he served the unmarked Farrugia who fired over.

Doding kicked off the second half with a gem of a goal. The clock marked 50 minutes when he picked up the ball some 25 metres out and dribbled his way past three opponents before rounding Vella and hitting inside the net.

The Hotspurs were now in sixes and sevens and on 56 minutes Doding put Roderick Baldacchino clean through but the Msida winger's run was illegally halted by Vella... a penalty was awarded. Doding stepped up for the spot-kick and cooly planted the ball in.

Barely four minutes elapsed that Msida struck again.

Camilleri turned past his marker before firing a grounder that Vella only managed to push away into the path of Farrugia who rammed in the loose ball.

Doding completed his poker 15 minutes from time when he was well picked by Sciriha and the nippy forward fired the ball past a helpless Vella.

There was little interest left in the match with Msida administering their advantage and the Hotspurs looking to limit the damage.

In time added on, Gilbert Camilleri was unlucky not to put himself on the scoresheet when his long-range drive bounced off the Hotspurs bar.

Msida: M. Bartolo-6, P. Sciriha-6.5, S. Grima-6, P. Borg-6 ('62 S. Vella), C. Brincat-6.5, A. Farrugia-6.5, D. Cachia-6, P. Doding-8, R. Baldacchino-7 ('72 G. Magri), T. Farrugia-6, P. Dos Santos Calcado-6 ('41 G. Camilleri-6.5).

Pietà: M. Montfort-, C. Cassar-5 ('70 D. Mifsud), P. Deliminkov-5, B. Sciberras-4, M. Deanov-5, Q. Refalo-5 ('70 D. Gatt), C. Pulo-5, S. Grech ('10 M. Vella-4.5), S. Kondev-5, R. Camilleri-5, R. Galabov-4.5.

Referee: Paul Caruana.

Scorers: Pedrinho 12; Doding 25, 50, 56 pen, 75; Farrugia 33, 60.

Yellow cards: Vella, Pulo.

Red card: Montfort (P) 9.

BoV Player of the Match: Priso Doding (Msida St Joseph).

Next fixtures:

Saturday: (National Stadium)
2 p.m. Hamrun vs Marsaxlokk
4 p.m. Birkirkara vs Sliema.

Sunday: (Hibs Ground)
1 p.m. Mqabba vs Hibernians
3 p.m. Valletta vs Msida SJ.

Division One

The two matches postponed last Sunday, Tarxien vs Mosta and Senglea vs Vittoriosa, will be played next Wednesday at the Centenary Stadium, starting at 6 and 8 p.m. respectively.