Sliema add to Hamrun’s gloom
Two late goals secured this deserved win for Sliema Wanderers over Hamrun Spartans and leaves them unbeaten in their last five outings.
It was a forgettable game, as bleak as the afternoon weather, where both the Wanderers and the Spartans lacked the necessary quality to entertain the few scores present at Ta’ Qali.
Hamrun again failed to lift the gloom that has settled in the side. They remain ten matches without a Premier League win since January.
A 10-point gap between them and the bottom two, means the threat of relegation has been dismissed, although safety not mathematically assured.
On 20 minutes Scerri made progress from midfield. His shot went over.
Hamrun went close to opening the scoring short of the half hour. Motta’s free kick from outside the area on the left, for a foul committed by Mintoff, rebounded off the post.
But Sliema had the better of the second part in this opening half. Spiteri connected to Temile’s high cross from the left but hit well over.
Before the break, the Hamrun keeper Cassar rushed out of his line but missed the ball. Spiteri tried to lob into an unattended goal but defender Rodrigues recovered in time to head the ball out.
Sliema remained the slightly better side even after the interval although they never overworked the Hamrun keeper. A Denni free kick went narrowly wide and short of the hour Pearson headed Denni’s cross from the left straight on Hibernians Valletta Balzan Birkirkara Floriana Sliema St. Andrews Gzira Tarxien Hamrun Mosta Pembroke P W D L F APts 29 19 5 5 53 27 62 29 16 10 3 46 19 58 29 17 6 6 59 36 57 29 16 6 7 56 25 54 29 14 8 7 47 31 50 29 12 6 11 39 35 42 29 8 10 11 38 42 34 29 9 5 15 38 45 32 29 7 10 12 34 38 31 29 8 5 16 39 55 29 29 5 4 20 22 65 19 29 3 5 21 23 76 14