BIRKIRKARA 4 ST ANDREWS 0
Dimitrov 15
Herrera 82
Scicluna 83
Brincat 90
Birkirkara produced a scintillating opening-day display to hammer a woefully-out-of sorts St. Andrews. Birkirkara struck three goals late in the match to demolish their opponents.
The final score was harsh on the Saints, but their commitment and endeavour could not make up for a glaring lack of quality throughout the side.
Birkirkara dominated the early stages and it told when Srdan Dimitrov broke the deadlock, showing wonderful athleticism to head in a lofted pass from Cain Attard.
The Stripes showed the greater attacking invention but Vito Plut could not find his touch in front of goal and wasted two presentable chances to punish the Saints. He should have doubled the lead after 22 minutes when he had the goal at his mercy but allowed St. Andrews’ goalkeeper Jake Galea to scramble across his goal and save.
On 27 minutes, Galea was left in trouble following a short clearance on Christian Bubalovic but charged out of his line in time to block the defender’s rebound.
The giant Predrag Jovic underlined his aerial prowess past the half hour as he headed over from Dimitrov’s free-kick.
At half time, Besek was forced into his first substitution when Matthew Guillaumier took over Mislav Andelkovic’s duties to provide cover for the backline.
Galea has been St Andrews’ star performer, and he emphasised his quality again seven minutes after the break when he dived acrobatically to turn way a swerving effort from Dimitrov.
In the 72nd minute, Dimitrov let the vanishing spray, used for the first time in a local game, settle on the turf, before unleashing a fierce and rising 25-metre effort which rattled the crossbar.
Darmanin was replaced by Walker as Daniel Brandle came in for Godwin Mckay and their arrival gave the Saints renewed impetus with the former hitting the post when clear through after a slick move 10 minutes from time.
But such ambition left them exposed at the back and on 82 minutes, Plut launched a devastating counter-attack to serve substitute Edward Herrera, who replaced Djordevic, to finish the move with aplomb.
Borg’s men were again caught out a minute later, when Cain Attard released Ryan Scicluna and he fired past Galea at the near post.
It went from bad to worse for St. Andrews as they could simply not get the ball off their opponents. At the death, Galea stopped Scicluna’s drive with a diving save but substitute James Brincat converted the rebound at the near post.