Carabott's screamer floors Spartans

Hamrun Spartans 0
Marsaxlokk 1

A well-struck second-half goal from David Carabott enabled Marsaxlokk to overcome the solid challenge of Hamrun Spartans and keep their hopes of earning a place in the Championship Pool alive.

Marsaxlokk thoroughly deserved the three points yesterday in the only match played at the Hibs Ground.

Robert Kelly's men held the upperhand throughout the game and it was only the fine form of Spartans' goalkeeper Daniel Dengaky that denied Marsaxlokk taking the lead earlier.

The three points will have delighted Kelly and his clan but the team's performance again failed to match the standards expected.

Despite dominating possession, Marsaxlokk, teeming with established players, lacked cohesion and their failure to turn the chances that came their way into goals, almost cost them dearly against the organised Spartans.

On the other hand, Hamrun, who had their resources stretched to the limit with the absence of the suspended Mauro Brincat, Aaron Attard and Neville Galea, battled bravely in their valiant bid to contain the more-quoted opponents.

However, once they fell behind to that Carabott scorcher, Hamrun could not discover the flair needed to carve openings, even though at the death the bar prevented them from earning a shock point.

Starting the match four points adrift of sixth-placed Valletta, Marsaxlokk knew that they had no other option but to dictate the tempo for the outset.

After just seven minutes, they went close to taking the lead. Richard Buhagiar created space for himself on the right and sent a teasing cross that eluded goalkeeper Dengaky. The ball arrived into the path of Malcolm Licari but the former Pietà striker's header was cleared off the line by David Galea.

For all Marsaxlokk's early dominance, it was the Spartans who threatened on 21 minutes when Gaetan Spiteri dashed past Nikolai Slavtchev but his angled shot was blocked by goalkeeper Reuben Debono.

Two minutes later, in a swift counter-attack, Licari jinked his way past Nicky Fasanelli before serving Etienne Barbara who saw his effort brilliantly tipped away by Dengaky.

The Spartans missed a glorious opportunity to forge ahead on 25 minutes when Kevin Borg's shot was deflected by Slavtchev into the path of the unmarked Stefan Sultana who shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

Eleven minutes from the break, Johann Zammit should have done better than heading wide from close in. On 38 minutes, Barbara tried his luck with a low shot that was easily blocked by Dengaky.

Two minutes later youngster Johan Briffa, making his first appearance for the Spartans' team, curled in a shot that skimmed just wide.

After the break, the game continued in the same vein, Dengaky again effecting a fine block on Zammit from close distance.

The Congolese goalkeeper then had to charge out of goal to block on Zammit. However, Dengaky's resistance was broken on 52 minutes when Carabott unleashed a powerful shot from 25 metres out to give the southerners a merited lead.

Marsaxlokk's opener led to a substitution by Gencho Dobrev who drafted in Roderick Bajada in place of Johan Briffa to provide more steel in midfield.

Kelly's reply arrived four minutes later when he replaced Zammit with Roger Walker.

The Spartans came close to an equaliser on 74 minutes when Keith Fabri headed just over the bar from a Borg corner.

Borg then made a last-ditch tackle on Zammit who was set to pull the trigger all alone in front of Dengaky.

Nine minutes from time, Wayne Attard forced his way past two Marsaxlokk defenders but his shot finished wide.

The Spartans kept fighting and five minutes from the end they were unlucky not to get an equaliser when Sultana's overhead kick smacked against the crossbar.

The relief on the faces of the Marsaxlokk players was evident as the final whistle confirmed their 1-0 success.

Postponements

The match between Birkirkara and Balzan Youths was postponed yesterday as the pitch at the Hibs Ground was deemed unfit to stage two games in a row. This game has now been rescheduled for next Wednesday at the Centenary Stadium (kick-off 6.30 p.m.)

The two-match Division One programme, originally scheduled for yesterday at the Victor Tedesco Ground - Marsa vs Naxxar Lions and Rabat Ajax vs St Patrick - will now take place on Thursday at the Centenary Stadium. The first match kicks off at 6 p.m.

Hamrun: D. Dengaky, K. Fabri (J. Debattista), K. Borg, D. Galea, J. Magri Overend, E. Briffa, G. Spiteri (W. Attard), J. Briffa (R. Bajada), S. Sultana, N. Fasanelli, G. Bencini.

Marsaxlokk: R. Debono, D. Carabott, C. Magro (J. Tellus), D. Camilleri, D. Vencevicius, J. Zammit (R. Walker), E. Barbara, R. Buhagiar, N. Slavtchev, K. Mamo, M. Licari.

Referee: Clayton Pisani.

Scorer: Carabott 52.

Yellow Cards: Sultana; Carabott; Spiteri; Debattista.