Pietà on top in eight-goal thriller

Marsa 3
Pietà Hotspurs 5

Pietà Hotspurs have gone through a complete metamorphosis since Carmel Busuttil took over as coach.

Billed among the favourites for relegation after a disastrous start to the season, Pietà's recent performances suggest that another salvation act is not impossible as the Hotspurs have won two and drew one of their last three matches.

Yesterday, Pietà and Marsa produced a typical relegation thriller. Two red cards, a saved penalty and eight goals were the legacy of this encounter.

Cruising to a 4-0 lead early in the second half, Pietà, who had goalkeeper Andrew Hogg sent off after 30 minutes, were pegged back by the resurgent Marsa who scored three times to ensure an exciting finish.

Substitute Silvan Ciscaldi ended Marsa's fightback when scoring Pietà's fifth goal on the stroke of time. Ironically, Marsa came to life after they were also reduced to ten men on the hour when Jean Paul Zammit was dismissed for a second booking.

The Hotspurs made their intentions clear from the very first minute. Martin Deanov slipped a low cross towards Carl Pulo whose volley sailed wide of the far post.

After eight minutes, Marsa's Zammit sprinted down the length of the pitch and chipped a feeble cross-shot towards goal but Hogg neutralised.

The Hotspurs took the lead on 17 minutes. Deanov advanced to the bye-line before cutting the ball back for Dylan Kokavessis who rifled a low shot into the net from close range.

On the half-hour, Pietà looked to have been dealt a harsh blow as Hogg was given his marching orders for tripping the returning Marsa forward Gilbert Martin who was clean through.

Pietà coach Busuttil, yesterday serving the second of a two-match touchline ban, quickly instructed his assistant Clive Mizzi to send in reserve goalkeeper Mark Vella for Kokavessis, scorer of the Hotspurs' opening goal.

Vella took his time to put on his fluorescent yellow jersey before facing Emil Yantchev for the penalty. The Marsa defender struck the ball but Vella denied him with a superb block to preserve Pieta's slender lead.

Spurred on by this positive turning point, Pietà drove forward and doubled their lead five minutes from half-time.

Bulgarian Rumen Galabov received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and concluded the move with a fierce strike that had the better of Jonathan Debono in the Marsa goal.

Three minutes into the second half, Pietà piled more misery on their opponents.

Galabov passed to the surging Deanov who sped past Shawn Cutajar, evaded goalkeeper Debono and placed the ball into the net.

On 56 minutes, it was 4-0.

Pulo floated a cross from the left and although Debono managed to repel Quilin Refalo's testing shot, Deanov was at hand to tap the the rebound home.

On the hour, Marsa's agony appeared to have been compounded when Zammit was sent off for a second bookable offence after a late tackle on Carl Sammut.

Yet, nine minutes later, Marsa pulled a goal back. A shot by Andrew Scerri evaded a maze of players and goalkeeper Vella as it rolled into the net.

This goal sparked a bold comeback by Edmond Lufi's men with Scerri striking twice more in the space of a minute to take Marsa within one goal of their opponents.

Scerri completed his hat-trick with two brilliant strikes to revive interest in the match.

Pietà's substitute Glanville Goodlip could have sealed the points for his side with his first touch of the ball on 82 minutes. The hardworking Deanov set up the Pietà youngster but his shot was brilliantly pushed away by Marsa's substitute keeper Roderick Spiteri.

Man-of-the-match Deanov missed two sitters in the dying minutes as the Pietà faithful had to endure some tense moments.

The Hotspurs finally put their minds at ease on the stroke of time when Deanov crossed the ball towards Ciscaldi who beat Spiteri with a low shot.

Marsa: J. Debono-5 ('66 R. Spiteri-5.5), G. Bencini-5, K. Scerri-5, K. Cassar-5, S. Cutajar-5, N. Fasinelli-4.5, E. Yantchev-4.5, J.P. Zammit, V. Bellia-4.5 ('43 R. Micallef-5), G. Martin-5 ('45 J. Dalli-5), A. Scerri-6.5.

Pietà: A. Hogg, C. Mckay-6, B. Sciberras-6.5, M. Deanov-8, Q. Refalo-7, C. Pulo-7 ('81 G. Goodlip), C. Sammut-7, D. Camenzuli-7 ('63 S. Ciscaldi-6.5), S. Kondev-7, R. Galabov-7.5, D. Kokavessis-6.5 ('32 M. Vella-5).

Referee: Anton Zammit.

Scorers: Kokavessis 17; Galabov 41; Deanov 48, 56; A. Scerri 69, 77, 78; Ciscaldi 90.

Missed penalty: Yantchev (M) 33.

Yellow Cards: Galabov; Bencini; Zammit; Dalli.

Red Cards: Hogg 30; Zammit 60.

BOV Player of the Match: Martin Deanov (Pietà).