St Patrick 3
Sciortino 18 og; Zampa og 20; Caruana 57
Senglea Athletic 2
Felice 71, 84
Already assured of their place in the semi-finals of the Division One KO, St Patrick yesterday maintained their encouraging start to the season with a 3-2 win over Senglea in an FA Trophy first round match.
Two own goals early in the game gave St Patrick a headstart and when Thomas Caruana made it 3-0 early in the second half, it looked as though Senglea were in for a drubbing.
However, the youthful Cottonera area team raised their game midway through the second half and a brace by Justin Felice dragged them back into contention but the fading St Patrick dug in to preserve their fragile lead and reach the second round where they clash against either Dingli or Floriana.
St Patrick forged ahead after 18 minutes. Peter Anizoba, who scored a hat-trick when St Patrick beat Senglea 4-0 in the Division One KO, drove forward unimpeded and on entering the Senglea box, sought to pass the ball to the centre of the penalty area. Senglea defender Andrew Sciortino tried to intercept the pass but only succeeded in firing the ball into his own net.
This came after 18 minutes. More misery befell Senglea two minutes later as they committed a second own goal.
Anizoba once again tormented the Senglea defence with another forceful run before delivering a low cross that whizzed past Senglea goalkeeper George Attard with Stefano Zampa applying the decisive touch as he slid in to try and clear the ball.
The concession of two own goals in the space of two minutes deflated Senglea. St Patrick continued to enjoy the upperhand but they seldom came close to increasing their lead.
Seven minutes from half-time, Senglea's Leeroy Bonnett sped into the box and managed to strike the ball past the on-rushing David Cassar but his shot was hooked away by Matthew Fleri Soler.
Early in the second half, Roderick Briffa, the St Patrick left-back, was just wide with a shot from inside the penalty area. The game looked as good as over as a contest when, with 12 minutes of the second half gone, St Patrick made it 3-0.
Having won a free-kick on the edge of the box after being tripped by Daniel Cosaitis, Thomas Caruana despatched a fierce free-kick that left Attard stranded.
Senglea were down and out but with 19 minutes remaining, they pulled a goal back. Brady Zerafa's long pass caught the St Patrick defence off balance as Felice burst through, held off Fleri Soleri and curled the ball past Cassar.
Fourteen minutes from time, St Patrick's Caruana resorted to a rash tackle to stop Chris Borg. As the Senglea substitute stood up, he started to remonstrate with Caruana who appeared to headbutt Borg. Referee Saviour Tanti showed Caruana a straight red card and also dismissed Borg for a second booking.
Two goals down, Senglea increased their forays into St Patrick's half. Winston Muscat's team might have wrapped up the issue though but Terrence Farrugia's shot was saved by Attard.
At the other end, Cassar touched Bonnet's diagonal effort around his near post but from the ensuing flag-kick, also taken by Bonnet, Felice stabbed the ball home.
With six minutes remaining and St Patrick looking out of sorts, Senglea felt that they could still save the match but their last-ditch efforts failed to yield an equaliser.
St Patrick
D. Cassar, R. Briffa, T. Farrugia, M. Fleri Soler, S. Zerafa, C. Grech ('76 R. Cassar), T. Caruana, D. Gatt ('89 J. Farrugia), A. Ellul ('65 K. Vassallo), P. Anizoba, B. Muscat.
Senglea
G. Attard, D. Cosaitis, D. Zahra, A. Sciortino ('67 C. Borg), S. Zampa, B. Zerafa, J. Abela, J. Farrugia ('60 N. Abela), O. Ellul ('60 J. Gatt), J. Felice, L. Bonnet.
Referee: Saviour Tanti.
Yellow cards: Borg; Briffa; Cosaitis; Farrugia.
Red cards: Caruana (SP) 76; Borg (SA) 76.