Mosta keep up the fight as Priso hits winner
Mosta kept up their fight for survival, forced to rally from a goal down, to beat the team above them Hamrun Spartans with two secondhalf goals.
They now move seven points above bottom side Pembroke and seven behind the Spartans, with three matches to play.
Hamrun were left frustrated at the way they cast away a one-goal lead so wastefully, missing many presentable chances, when a point yesterday would have secured them safety.
The Spartans had a platform for victory, took a first half lead through Massimilaino Giusti, but once Mosta stepped up to level matters through David Fenech, they had no response and finally lost the game with a Priso winner.
Mosta will have to look for more points although they will probably have to settle for a relegation playoff. But if they continue to play as enterprisingly as this, they have a decent chance.
Mosta’s revival, coupled with Hamrun’s collapse, had left the sides ten points apart at the start of this game.
Yet there is not as much between these sides as might be imagined. Although opened up a few times at the back, Mosta kept coming forward with some passing of their own. Their mental strength has increased. Their quality and belief have come through and results are proving that now.
Mosta had regular keeper Yenz Cini suspended. For the same reason, Luke Sciberras could not play for Hamrun, who also dropped Manset and Arab. Igor Misan returned in midfield, with Massimiliano Giusti their most advanced player.
Hamrun were the first out of the blocks. After ten minutes a Motta effort was repelled by Mosta’s deputu keeper Andreas Vella. Nanapere’s shot on th rebound was blocked into a corner by Ekani. The mosta defender also cleared Misan’s shot on the line from the ensuing corner.
Mosta’s response came just past the quarter hour. Priso’s shot from outside the area was held out by the outstretched Hamrun keeper David Cassar.
But even a better chance fell to Mosta midway through the half. Magro put Mifsud Triganza clear but the onrushing keeper Cassar blocked at his feet, with Priso playing the loose ball to the unmarked Mifsud Triganza who again contrived to put his effort wide.
On 38 minutes Fenech found space in midfield and played the ball to the advancing Priso. The grounded Hamrun keeper saved his shot.
But Hamrun took the lead two minutes before the break. A Motta corner from the right was headed by Nanapere towards the far post and Massimiliano Giusti was quick to knock the ball past keeper Vella.
In the half’s added time, Hamrun almost nearly doubled their lead. The Mosta goalkeeper was late on a high Motta cross but Manolito Micallef headed the ball over with an open goal at his mercy.
Mosta again endured some anxiety after the interval. Jake Grech played the ball to Giusti, who, unmolested inside the Mosta area, tried to lob over keeper Vella, who saved well.
But on 54 minutes, Mosta were back on terms, thanks to a scruffy but nonetheless deserved goal. Frendo had gone inside the Hamrun area from the left and his effort was footed out by keeper Cassar. The ball fell to David Fenech whose shot fom outside the area took a slight deflection to beat the keeper at the top corner.
Mosta grew in confidence as Calcado played a through pass to Mifsud Triganza to turn but his shot was squeezed into a corner.
On 69 minutes, Hamrun were again denied by the alert keeper Vella who blockeed substitute Arab’s incursion soon after going in for Motta.
They paid for that miss on 78 minutes when Mosta scored the winner. Calcado played the ball through the Hamrun defence and Doding Priso side stepped the ball low past the helpless keeper.
Standings
Hibernians Balzan Valletta Birkirkara Floriana Sliema St. Andrews Gzira Tarxien Hamrun Mosta Pembroke P W D L F A Pts 30 20 5 5 55 27 65 30 18 6 6 61 37 60 30 16 11 3 49 22 59 30 16 7 7 59 28 55 30 14 8 8 47 34 50 30 13 6 11 42 35 45 30 8 10 12 39 44 34 30 9 5 16 38 47 32 30 7 11 12 35 39 32 30 8 5 17 40 57 29 30 6 4 20 24 66 22 30 3 6 21 24 77 14