Rocha Da Silva faces former team

Division One teams will strive to eclipse their more-quoted opponents from the Premier League when the FA Trophy, this year sponsored by U*Bet, kicks off with four matches from the first round this weekend.

Although the four Premier League teams in action today and tomorrow start favourites to book their place in the next round, they will surely be advised against over-confidence, given the tradition of cup football to throw up surprising results.

Andre Rocha Da Silva, the highly-rated Brazilian midfielder, will be extra-motivated to play a prominent role in a potential 'upset' as his Division One team Tarxien Rainbows square up to Floriana, his former club.

Having been surprisingly released barely three weeks into the new season, Da Silva caused more than a few eyebrows to be raised when he opted to join Tarxien who were promoted to Division One at the end of last season.

Led by the Jesmond Zerafa-Twanny Dalli coaching tandem, the Rainbows have had a positive start to their campaign as they currently lie third with 10 points from five matches.

The same is not true for Floriana who are lurking in the bottom part of the Premier standings after going nine matches without a win before breaking their jinx last week with a 3-1 defeat of Pietà Hotspurs.

"Floriana have been struggling in the Premier League but they still have a strong squad," Da Silva told The Times yesterday.

"It's going to be a very difficult match for us but we are all looking forward to it."

Tarxien are expected to field their best formation but Floriana have some notable absentees (kick-off 3.30 p.m.).

Apart from long-term injury victims Clifton Ciantar and Mauro Brincat, the latter still to undergo an operation on ruptured cruciate ligaments, Ian Ciantar and Riad-Mynel Gango-Rtsa are also expected to sit out tomorrow's game.

The onus of leading the Greens from the touchline will fall on their former defender Dennis Cauchi as Jan Artz, Floriana's stand-in coach, is currently abroad.

Despite his premature exit from Floriana, Rocha Da Silva does not perceive tomorrow's match as an opportunity to dish out revenge on his former employers.

"For me it's a game like the others," the unassuming Da Silva commented. "I have nothing against Floriana despite what happened.

"On the contrary, I still have a good rapport with their players."

With regards to his experience in Division One so far, Da Silva said:

"It's a totally different reality to the Premier League. The technical standard of the teams is inferior and the exchanges are more physical.

"The league is quite competitive but the poor conditions of the pitches hamper teams from playing better football. So far it's been a useful experience for me but next season, I want to play in the Premier League again."

Last season, Rocha Da Silva, widely tipped to join Marsaxlokk next year, was on target for Floriana in a 3-2 defeat to Birkirkara in the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy.

Tarxien Rainbows failed to progress beyond the group stage of the Division Two and Three KO last year.

The other matches...

Marsaxlokk vs Lija A. (today at 1.30 p.m., Centenary Stadium).

Marsaxlokk's gaze is firmly set on a spot in the second round of the trophy as they take on Lija.

Their backs-to-the-wall effort in a 4-3 defeat of Hamrun Spartans should have raised spirits at Marsaxlokk where Ray 'Zazu' Farrugia and Oliver Spiteri are commanding operations.

The southerners have several injury concerns with Cesar Paiber, Malcolm Licari, Gareth Sciberras, Chris Bart-Williams and Nuno Gomes all recovering from injuries.

Seventh in the Division One table with five points from six matches, Lija, now under the charge of Jimmy Briffa, are likely to adopt a defensive approach in their bid to frustrate their wealthier opponents.

The two encounters between these two teams in the Premier League last season resulted in convincing wins for Marsaxlokk - 5-1 and 3-0.

In the FA Trophy, Marsaxlokk went down 5-4 on penalties to Msida St Joseph in the semi-finals whereas Lija stumbled at the first stage, losing 1-0 to San Gwann.

St George's vs Hamrun Spartans (today at 3.30 p.m., Centenary Stadium).

Hamrun Spartans have a tricky fixture against St George's, leaders of the Division One League with a perfect record of five victories from their first five matches.

St George's will regard their meeting with Hamrun as an early test of their credentials as a potential Premier team next season.

Their excellent start means that St George's will go into this clash in good heart but news of the four-match suspension slapped on their striker Trevor Thomas is a setback for the Cospicua club.

The Spartans, one of several teams fighting to stay afloat in the Premier, will be without Rupert Mangion, Maczerob Okoro and Ryan Fenech today. Coach Michael Degiorgio is unlikely to risk playing Ivan Zammit from the start in the light of the niggling injuries that have plagued the veteran defender this season.

In last year's competition, Hamrun lost 2-0 to Floriana in extra-time in the second round after receiving a bye in the first round. St George's went down 6-0 to the Greens at the initial stage.

St Patrick vs Mosta (tomorrow at 1.30 p.m., Centenary Stadium).

Mosta coach Paul Zammit views this clash as an ideal occasion for his team to rediscover fighting spirit after a series of setbacks in the league.

"The morale is down after the disappointing results of late but this is something to be expected considering the young age and inexperience of our squad," Zammit said.

"My hope is that this game helps us to find our feet again... a victory would lift our spirits for the tough battles ahead."

Zammit will draft more young players in his first team as some of his key personnel will be rested.

Defender Steve Borg is on international duty with the Malta U-19 squad in Israel while Miroljub Spasic, Ikechukwu Chibueze and Dyson Falzon are nursing slight injuries.

For their part, St Patrick will also be keen on gaining a psychological fillip after their none-too-convincing start to their Division One campaign.

Bobby Giorev's team are finding it hard to cope in Division One after being relegated from the top flight at the end of last season.

St Patrick don't have pleasant memories from their participation in the FA Trophy last season where they lost 4-1 to Senglea Athletic in the first round.

Mosta suffered a 3-1 first round reverse to eventual finalists Msida.