The Malta Independent on Sunday
Atkinson rekindles Saints’ hopes in crucial win
St Andrews had won only once in nine matches since the start of this year, but victory against already doomed Lija Athletic yesterday, thanks to a Kevaughn Atkinson brace in a scrappy and poor game, boosted their survival prospects. They now move four points above penultimate team Naxxar Lions and a direct encounter against Tarxien Rainbows still to play on the last day.
St Andrews, in greater need of the points, were more sprightly and fully deserved their win against opponents with such fragile confidence, although they demonstrated some anxiety after Lija halved their two-goal lead 20 minutes from time.
Coach Michael Woods kept faith with most of his players who performed so well in the narrow defeat by Valletta. Only Matthew Gauci and Degran Jackson replaced Tano Azian and Marcus Grima in St Andrews’ starting eleven.
Lija made five changes following the drubbing against Hibernians before the break. Abubaker Bello Osagie, Rapha Kooh Sohna and Ousmane Sidibe started the match, with Joanthan Martinelli deputising for Bonnici in goal.
Buoyant by that encouraging performance, St Andrews must have sensed that their already relegated opponents were there for the taking.
But it took them quite a while to make their grip on the match.
Although dominating possession, they struggled to carve out chances and it was only towards the half hour that they really threatened with a Jackson shot from the edge of the area that rebounded off the upright.
Lija responded with a Beu low shot from outside the area that was easily saved by the grounded keeper Calleja Cremona before St Andrews broke the daedlock on 36 minutes.
They were gifted by the Lija keeper’s hesitancy as he failed to reach for a Farrugia cross from the right and Kevaughn Atkinson bundled the ball over the line.
St Andrews could have put the match to bed early at the start of the second half but fluffed two good chances within the first ten minutes.
When Reid took the ball in his stride, he cut inside the Lija area from the left but hit wastefully wide.
On 55 minutes, Reid’s other effort from outside the area on the left clipped the foot of the far post with the Lija keeper beaten.
But two minutes later, St Andrews doubled their lead when Kevaughn Atkinson picked Reid’s cross and beat keeper Martinelli.
Erjon Beu pulled one back for Lija 20 minutes from time, driv- ing a low diagonal shot past Calleja Cremona on a Bello Osagie through pass and Lija discovered a sense of urgency as the game came to a climax. On 82 minutes, a Beu free kick caused panic inside the Saints area and when St Andrews broke away, Reid hesitated too long when faced by the Lija keeper who thwarted him just inside the area.