Updated 24th October 2004
Marsa aim at
extending lead in Division 1
First Division
leaders Marsa will be hoping to extend the lead at the top of
the table as they take on a Gozo FC side hungry for points.
Marsa dropped just two points, in a draw with Hamrun, in the four matches
played so far. On the other hand, the Gozitans claimed their only point in a
draw with the Spartans, suffering three defeats in the other matches.
Another team hungry for points is Mosta, who had a most disappointing start
as they lie with just one point from four matches. They will be all out to
claim the three points from the game against St. Georges on Sunday. The
Cospicua side is currently third in the table.
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Marsa Share The Points With Old Rival
Two teams among the favourites to win promotion this season yesterday shared the spoils in a hardfought encounter at the Hibs Ground. Marsa hit back strongly after the break. A sizeable crowd turned up for this match which
involved two teams with various changes in their squads. With Michael Molzahn as coach, Marsa had Elvin Attard (ex-Senglea),Nicky Fasinelli (Hamrun) and Anthony Evi Parker in their ranks.
Hamrun, with Gaetan Spiteri missing through injury, had former. Marsa players Jason Cordin, Ibrahim Tarik and Miguel Corbolan, along with Nikolai Slavfchev (Marsaxlokk) and Steve Sadowski (Birkirkara), among their new signings on show.
Both coaches opted for tight marking at first as the opening half proved to be one of tactics and little goalmouth action.
With Mauro Bnneat confirming his potential in midfield, with a lucky free-kick, the Spartans forged ahead five
minutes.before the break. Tarik released Brincat whose excellent half volley found its way inside the Marsa net, giving Attard no chance.
Attard was again called to action soon after when saving a Kevin Borg effort from a Brincat cross. On resumption, Michael Degior gios team almost doubled their tally when Borg beat his direct marker, and shot at goal. Attard failed to hold and from the rebound Stefan Sultana saw his scorcher cleared off the line.
Marsa were seeing more of the ball in the second half and after another Attard save onSultana, Gilbert Mock sped to the Hamrun goal and slid the ball home past Cordina for an equaliser. Molzahns team upped their tempo after Mocks goal but found a resilient Spartans defence in their way.No other goals were scored as the two rivals took a point home from the opening match of a long campaign which they hope will lead them back to the Premier League.
MARSA: EL Attard, J. Buttigieg, D.
Vella, J. Zammit, A. Mifsud, L.D.
Grima (J.P. Zainmit), K. Farrugia, G.
Martin (J. Casha), N. Fasinelli (D.
Gatt), R. Bonnici, A. Eva Parker.
HAMRUN: J. Cordina,S.Sadovski,
A. Attard, K. Pabri, N. Slavtchev(N.
Galea), J. Magri Overend, K. Borg (E.
Briffa), R. Fenech, I. Tank (M. Cor-
bolan), M. Brincat, S. Sultana.
League Table After 3 Games
Fixture for Season 2004/05
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I Like to very much thank Maltafootball.com for the excellent coverage of our games during the year and I encourage all Marsin to make Maltafootball page your number one page click to the Link below for further details.
(Source Maltafootball.com}
(Photo www.stephengatt.com)
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Marsa Forge Ahead With 3 - 1 Win
Naxxar Lions are still looking for their first points of the season after this upset to Marsa. Naxxar made several changes from the side that lost 2-0 to St Georges in their first outing. Defender Gilbert Mock was replaced by Karl Agius who in turn was substituted by Daniel Rapa during the match. Paul Sixsmith also made a showing after coming in for Ridha Dardouri in the second half.
This was a match which Marsa dominated from start to finish. They went close inside the first couple of minutes when Joseph Casha blasted wide after he was put through by Anthony Evi Parker. But four minutes later Michael Mokahns team took the lead. Dardouri floored Evi Parker in the box and Lee Dino Grima calmly slotted home from the penalty spot.
Marsa continued to dominate but the Lions somehow weathered the storm only to succumb again on 27 minutes from a second penalty. Gilbert Martin was brought down in the Naxxar area by keeper Roderick Agius and from the spot this
time it was Evi Parker who made it 2-0. Agius escaped with a yellow card.
Naxxar looked shattered. Agius did well to hold out a blistering Evi Parker drive but it was soon 3-0 for Marsa.
Martin dribbled past two Naxxar defenders before directing the ball to Evi Parker who had all the time in his life to release Grima and in no time the ball was in Agius net. The Lions were given a lifeline on the stroke of half-time when Qae expected some sort of a fight for once the Marsa rearguard was caught unawares and Jerry Ani
profited to score from close range.
One expected some sort of a fightback from Naxxar in the second half but this never came. Marsa had a couple of scoring chances but Martin, after profiting from a Sixsmith blunder, and Evi Parker failed to find the net.
Ani could have reduced the deficit even further midway though the half but Marsa withstood the pressure because on the day they clould have finished with a bigger score margin they fully deserved thier win Good On You Boys.
MARSA: E. Attard, J. Buttigieg, D. Vella, J. Zammit, A. Mifsud, L.D. Grima, K. Farrugia, G. Martin, D. Gatt, J. Casha (R. Boimici), A. Evi Parker.
NAXXAB: R. Agius, R. Dardouri (P. Sixsmith), D. Zuccaro, J. Debono, R. Schembri, K. Agius (D. Rapa), P.
Fenech, J. Ani, T. Fenecb, G. Camilleri, S. Muscat.
Referee: Roberto Buontempo.
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Marsa Takes Top Position
A STRONG second-half performance saw Marsa coming back from a goal down to beat St George's 4-1 to go top of the Division One standings. It was the first defeat for the Cottonera side who until yesterday were the only side with a perfect record.
The inclusion of Daniel Gatt in the second half was a master stroke by
coach Michael Molzahn as the mid fielder was a thorn in the St Georges
defence, with his runs opening acres of space in their opponents backline.
Anthony Eviparker was another excellent performer for Marsa when ends were
changed and he crowned his day with a fine third goal.
St Georges were off to a flier and after two minutes they managed to break
the stalemate. From a Jesmond Delia cross, Godwin Stivala nodded the ball
towards Nazzareno Abela who headed goalwards. Marsa goal keeper Elvin Attard
tried desperately to keep the ball out of goal but assis tant referee Andrea
Arciola signalled
that the ball had crossed the goal line.
Marsa reply arrived in the 13th minute with a Gilbert Martin drive that
finished just over. For the rest of the half, Marsa failed to create any
other danger to St Georges who easily controlled their one goal advantage.
But on the restart Marsa were a completely different outfit. They took
just five minutes to restore parity with a fierce Martin strike.
Marsa continued to press forward and went 2-1 up in the 59th minute.
Daniel Gatt chip found Jonathan Buttigieg on the left, the former Hamrun
defender lofted the ball towards Darren Vella who was on hand to tap the
ball home. Two minutes later, Gatt forced his way through the St Georges
area but his volley was well saved by Andrea Gatt. Marsa extended their lead
in the 66th minute when Eviparker surged powerfully past three defenders
before slotting the ball home.
St Georges reaction produced a Delia volley blocked by Attard. But that
was too little as Marsa sealed the points in the 90th minute with another
darting run from Martin who outpaced his marker before hammering the ball
home.
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MARSA EXTEND THEIR LEAD
Marsa extended their lead
at the head of the First Division table with a 5-1win over Gozo, while St.
Georges and Mosta shared the points in a 0-0 draw.
Marsa opened a two-goal lead through Gilbert martin on 15 and 50 minutes
with the Gozitans pulling one back two minutes later courtesy of John
Camilleri.
But the red and Blues increased the lead on three occasions twice through
Nigerian Anthony Evi Parker on 65 and 80 minutes while the fifth arrived
two minutes into injury time from Joseph Casha.
After this win Marsa have 13 points, five more than neighbours Hamrun
Spartans who have a game in hand.
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Slick Marsa go top after 3-1 victory
Marsa shot to the top of the standings after beating Mosta following a fine display of football with the ball played mainly
on the ground which was no easy task yesterday.
Marsa had strikers Anthony Evi Parker and Gilbert Martin who stood out. and Parker a scored a hat-trick.
Marsa took the lead after only two minutes when a clearance from their rearguard was picked up by Martin. He flicked
on to Evi Parker who slotted the ball behind onrushing Mosta keeper Charles Sciberras.
A minute later it could have been 2-0 when Evi Parker failed to head home a Johann Zammit cross in the area.
With Marsa piling up the pressure Mosta could have equalised during their first real threat on Elvin Attard goal.
The Marsa no.1 mistimed his intervention on a Philip Camilleri cross but Roderick Asciak, unmarked at the far post, saw
his shot hitting the woodwork.
Mosta shifted all their focus in attack and it was no surprise that Marsa struck twice in the space of two minutes.
Martin's pace was too much for the Mosta rearguard. In the 42nd minute, the only way for Pio Vassallo to stop him was
to trip him in the box... no doubt, it was a penalty. Evi Parker made no mistake from the spot to make it 2-0.
Two minutes later a Martin throughpass found Evi Parker on the run. He was by far quicker than his direct markers and
found no difficulty in lobbing the ball over the Mosta custodian - 3-0.
Mosta were a demoralised lot but still managed to move in attack after the break. After a Camilleri drive went inches
wide, on 63 minutes Chibueze threw his team a lifeline when he took hold of a loose ball inside the Marsa area before
blasting the ball home.
Mosta were prone to suffer from Marsa's counter-breaks.
In one such instance, Michael Molzahn team almost scored their fourth goal but a Lee Grima header, from a Zammit
cross, crashed against the bar.
Marsa: E. Attard, J. Buttigieg, D. Vella, J. Zammit, A. Mifsud, K. Farrugia, G. Martin, R. Bonnici, B. Zammit (L. Grima),
J.P. Zammit, A. Evi Parker (S. Cutajar).
Mosta: C. Sciberras, P. Sciriha, P. Vassallo (A. Chetcuti), D. Okonkwo, R. Asciak, P. Camilleri (L. Cilia), I. Chibueze, I.
Bilocca, M. Borg, J. Grech (C. Tabone), R. Newell.
Referee: Chris Lautier.
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