Senglea extend fine run Marsa still in trouble

St Patrick 1
Senglea Athletic 3

St Patrick's promotion hopes were dented yesterday after they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Senglea.

This was the Yellow-Reds' second win in a row after their 4-1 annihilation of Rabat Ajax in their previous outing two weeks earlier.

The encounter between Senglea and leaders St Patrick was an entertaining affair with many shots at goal, three red cards and good football. St Patrick's sloppy defending proved to be their downfall.

The first half was a good advert for the first division league with both teams opting for fast attacking moves.

After just one minute, Peter Anizoba served Clayton Failla whose drive just missed the target. Two minutes later, the St Patrick defence were too slow to react to a pass intended for Timothy Thomas who beat goalkeeper Franklin Azzopardi with a low shot.

St Patrick took only six minutes to draw level. Anizoba burst past three defenders but he was stopped irregularly just outside the box. Senglea-born Mark Tanti took responsibility for the free-kick and scored with a fierce low drive.

Senglea could have regained their lead on 19 minutes but a Clint Caruana free-kick hit the post.

A minute later, Thomas Caruana's angled shot brought the best out of Elvin Attard. A Tanti free-kick was headed goalwards by Caruana on 28 minutes but the ball ended wide.

Now the leaders were stepping up a gear, Robert Cassar striking wide from a good position.

Seven minutes later, Senglea 'keeper Attard effected a top-drawer one-handed save to deny Anizoba.

Five minutes after the restart, Caruana whipped in a cross towards Failla who shot straight into Attard. The Senglea custodian blocked the ball in two attempts but was then fouled by Anizoba who charged into him in a desperate attempt to stab the rebound home.

Senglea defender Frans Dingli remonstrated with the St Patrick's striker and was shown the red card by referee J.R. Attard.

Despite playing with a man less, Senglea regained the lead when Lawrence Attard was first on a Darren Grech free-kick to head home.

Ten minutes from time, the effective Alan Spiteri forced his way into the Saints' area but his shot was deviated for a corner by Azzopardi.

The referee failed to award the flag-kick, sparking bold protests from Senglea players. A skirmish between players from both sides followed, resulting in the dismissal of St Patrick's Mark Pullicino.

The Saints had a second player sent off when Cassar illegally halted Spiteri's run towards goal by handling the ball, prompting the referee to brandish the red card.

Deep into stoppage time, Senglea sealed the points when Clint Caruana stabbed the ball past Azzopardi from close distance. Senglea were home and dry.

St Patrick: F. Azzopardi, C. Failla, R. Cassar, M. Zerafa (A. Buhagiar), D. Gauci (S. Sciberras), A. Galea (S. Zerafa), M. Tanti, G. Failla, T. Caruana, M. Pullicino, P. Anizoba.

Senglea: E. Attard, Trevor Thomas (L. McKay), Timothy Thomas, F. Dingli, D. Grech, L. Attard, T. Ghirxi, S. Aquilina, E. Bobolayefa, C. Caruana, A. Spiteri.

Referee: J.R. Attard.

Tarxien Rainbows 1
Marsa 1

Marsa are still mired in relegation trouble after failing to take maximum spoils from their encounter with Tarxien Rainbows yesterday.

Ilir Pelinku's side desperately needed the three points against opponents who are positioned just above them in the Division One table.

Tarxien gave the impression that they were happy to settle for a point even if they looked the more dangerous side in the second period.

Marsa, who had the better of Tarxien by the odd goal in seven in the corresponding first round fixture, began in lively fashion but their early momentum fizzled out as the game progressed. The sending-off of Gilbert Martin, 15 minutes from the end, did not help their cause.

The omens looked good for Marsa who took the lead as early as the sixth minute. A cross by Daniel Gatt from the left reached Martin in the box and the young Marsa striker hit a fine low shot into the net.

Tarxien were taken aback by Marsa's early breakthrough and their problems in getting their act together allowed their opponents to dictate the tempo of the game.

Urged on by their fans, Marsa should have added a second on 29 minutes but a Lee Grima free-kick brought a fine save from Anthony Curmi, the Tarxien goalkeeper.

Nine minutes later, Martin's footwork stunned the Tarxien rearguard, the Marsa striker released Grima who shot wide from close range.

The hitherto subdued Tarxien went close to equalising matters on the stroke of half-time. Gordon Mallia's cross was headed goalwards by Simon Shead but Jason Cordina was equal to the task.

The second half brought about a change in the pattern of the game as now it was Tarxien who gained a foothold on proceedings. Nine minutes after the restart, Tarxien missed a golden opportunity to get back on level terms when Maczerob Okoro was on the end of a Mallia cross but headed wide.

Marsa's response was immediate. Grima's service was headed by Darren Vella into the path of Gatt who seemed certain to strike the ball home but Anthony Bonello was at the right place to hook the ball away.

On 62 minutes, an Okoro cross found Shead but his header was saved by the well-positioned Cordina.

Four minutes later, Tarxien restored parity. A corner by Massimo Schembri was met with a glancing header by Bonello.

Nineteen minutes from time, Marsa threatened to re-establish their lead but Gatt's drive from just outside the penalty box missed the target by a whisker.

Marsa's hopes of scoring a winning goal were dealt a harsh blow in the 75th minute when Martin was given his marching orders for dissent.

Tarxien increased their pressure in a bid to make their numerical superiority count, Mallia going just wide with a headed attempt after a cross from Aaron Guazzo.

Five minutes from the end, Alan Mifsud was fortunate not to commit an own goal when he deflected Guazzo's firm shot just wide of the post.

A minute into added time, Marsa may have taken all points had Miguel Corbolan's effort not sailed wide.

Tarxien: A. Curmi, D. O'Flaherty (B. Testaferrata), M. Farrugia, E. Saliba, M. Schembri, G. Mallia, S. Shead, A. Guazzo, A. Bonello, E. Farrugia, M. Okoro.

Marsa: J. Cordina, N. Zarb Cousin, D. Vella, R. Bonnici, A. Mifsud, L. Grima, M. Corbolan, G. Martin, D. Gatt (J. Buttigieg), K. Farrugia (I. Tarik), S. Eboh.

Referee: Alan Mario Sant.