Għajnsielem F.C. missed an opportunity to take over the leadership of the G.F.A. first division when they dropped to a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Sannat Lions. Għajnsielem conceded a goal in the fourth minute of the match scored by ex-Black Errol Grima. Despite the incessant pressure they placed on the Lions for a good hour they could not find an equalizer. As the minutes ticked by in the second half, the Blacks’ manouvre started to lose its lucidity and they looked more likely to concede than score. Seven minutes minutes from time John Camilleri scored Sannat’s second to condemn the Blacks to their fourth defeat of the season.

The Blacks are now two points adrift of Victoria Hotspurs and one point ahead of the resurgent Nadur Youngsters. Xewkija Tigers trail Għajnsielem by four points. So all is not lost for the Blacks. They still control their own destiny. In one of the most interesting championship seasons in years, there is unusual parity among all the teams in the division and anything can happen between now and the end of April. The Blacks, however, need to rediscover the form that saw them score freely in the first half of the season. The challenge is to do this without opening too much at the back.

Għajnsielem seemed determined to make a good start to this match and poured forward in numbers straight from the kick-off. They seemed hungrier than the Lions, and Thiago dos Santos signalled the Blacks’ ambitions with a hard shot from outside the penalty area, which went high over Paul Galea’s goal. In Sannat’s first possession of note they scored. Three ex-Blacks were involved in the move that effectively settled the outcome. Fernando de Andrade took possession in midfield. Għajnsielem were caught off balance. His pass towards John Camilleri on the right beat the Blacks’ defence. Camilleri had the time to deliver a measured cross towards the second post from where Grima easily headed past Joseph Grech and into the Blacks’ net.

Sannat could now play their favourite game. They packed their defence and waited to pounce on Għajnsielem mistakes. Led by Sabri Rais they sought to disrupt the flow in Għajnsielem’s play with physical football. The Blacks took time to recover from the blow they suffered. Alex Simoncic shot high over Galea’s goal near the 15 minute mark. Thiago dos Santos nearly squeezed the ball inside the near post ten minutes later. The Brazilian headed wide from the resultant corner kick taken by Simoncic.

From this point to the end of the first half, Għajnsielem, led by Simoncic, who played further upfield than usual, pounded Sannat with direct attacks and set pieces. A Sannat defender nearly headed into his own net from a Simoncic free-kick. Rodrigo Cariaga headed wide at the near post from a Simoncic corner. Thiago dos Santos controlled the ball well in the penalty area, turned but shot high from a good position.

Franklee Galea lost possession, than regained it with a good tackle to start the best move of the first half. He passed to dos Santos who played a quick one two with Simoncic. Mercieca could not turn in the Brazilian’s cross. This attack produced a series of corner kicks taken by Simoncic and Cariaga all of which created havoc underneath Galea’s goal posts. How the Blacks failed to hammer the ball home on one of these set pieces we do not know.

The second half started promisingly for the Blacks when dos Santos sent a inviting cross for Kenneth Mercieca. The latter, however, was slow to react and a Sannat defender anticipated him and cleared the danger. The Blacks’ search for the equalizer effectively ended with another Mercieca miss. He took possession in Sannat’s penalty area, but took too long to pull the trigger and his shot was blocked.

Near the hour mark, Joseph Attard came on for David Debattista. He took position in attack. Simoncic dropped back in midfield. This switch did not have the expected impact on the Blacks’ fortunes. It seemed as if Għajnsielem had been worn out by Sannat’s physical play and by their futile pursuit of the equalizer. Simoncic’s presence in midfield was not properly exploited because he rarely received clean ball from his team mates, who seemed too dazed to reason properly with simple pass and move football.

The Blacks supporters in attendance, their belief boosted by the indifferent form shown by Hotspurs over the past few weeks, watched somewhat perplexed, as Għajnsielem’s bid to take over first place unravelled before their eyes. Għajnsielem came close through Brian Meilak who shot wide from a good position, Mercieca who nearly burst past two Sannat defenders and Attard who saw his well-directed shot blocked. When the exhausted Rais left the match for the return of Mark Muscat, one hoped that the Blacks would take this as the cue for one final surge. Instead, Muscat immediately won a header from an Għajnsielem clearance, and sent Camilleri alone to score the goal that put the match beyond the Blacks’ reach.

30 Joseph Grech, 3 Ferdinando Apap, 4 David Debattista (9 Joseph Attard), 5 Alex Simoncic, 6 Joseph Buttigieg (c), 7 Brian Meilak, 8 Kenneth Mercieca, 10 Rodrigo Cariaga, 15 Martin Cremona, 18 Thiago dos Santos, 20 Franklee Galea.

Referee: Paul Apap