Stalemate fails to thrill
This clash from the lower end of the table between two teams tied on 27 points before kick off, ended all square. St Andrews and Hamrun Spartans are now joined by Gzira United in a comfort zone, widening the gap between them and Mosta in eleventh place to 12 points. Premier League survival looks likely with seven macthes remaining.
Hamrun had gone into this match with no win in six matches, having lost the bulk of their self respect. They were better in the first 45 minutes and even took the lead. But their form dipped in the second half and they were caught up by Beltre’s equlaiser for St Andrews. Their unwanted succession of winless matches is extended, and, judging on this form, there is little sense of them ending any time soon.
This draw was just reward for the Saints after a spirited secondhalf fightback following Karl Micallef’s opener for Hamrun.
St Andrews blew a fine chance to record back-to-back victories.
Hamrun’s team showed four changes from their previous defeat against Birkirkara as Anigbogu, Paiber, Nanapere and Giusti were replaced by Sergio Rafael, Jorge Neto, Leandro Motta and Mathieu Manset.
St Andrews, who had registered their first league win in three months against Tarxien Rainbows the previous week, dropped Felix Udoh as Enmy Beltre started the match yesterday.
Hamrun were the first to break the deadlock past the quarter hour, in a match alarmingly short of quality. The Saints’ erratic clearance inside their own area allowed Hamrun defender Karl Micallef to win possession, avoid an opponent and shoot past keeper Jake Galea.
St Andrews were strangely lacklustre, offering only a muted response. That allowed the Spartans to dominate possession although the pickings were slim.
But they looked likelier to score again three minutes before the interval when they broke from midfield. Arab ran down the right, crossed low for Motta, whose shot was footed out by the Saints’s keeper.
St Andrews as a whole refused to buckle and they produced a spirited second half assault that saw them clinch an equaliser and even poured forward in search of more.
They restored equilibrium four minutes after the restart. From a Paz free kick, the ball was diverted against the Hamrun bar and it rebounded out for Enmy Beltre’ to shoot in from inside the area.
Hamrun were double lucky to survive further derision on 53 minutes. During another Saints’ attack, Nwoko and Friggieri both hit the post in quick succession, with the Hamrun keeper caught off balance.
Towards the hour, Friggieri made progress through the middle and passed the ball to the unmarked Kastrevec who messed up his shot.
Hamrun were now struggling to get any meaningful possession as St Andrews were all over them.
On 73 minutes the Spartans effected a double substitution, introducing Jake Grech and Saturday Nanapere for Motta and Arab.
The Saints kept playing the better football and they created another chance on 83 minutes. A deep Beltre’ cross shot from the right was turned into a corner by keeper Cassar.
Although ending the match encamped inside their own half, Hamrun went close in the dying minutes with a Manolito Micallef header that narrowly missed the target.