This is one of many against the
odds triumphs in Club history.
After the usual summer build-up
of high expectations for the
team, Għajnsielem started off
the 2001/02 season miserably.
Two quick cup exits were
followed by a dismal performance
and a draw against relegation
candidates Oratory Youths in the
opening league match of the
season. Teddy Bajada completely
disillusioned by the Club's
transfer campaign tendered his
resignation thereafter. A week
later the Club featured in
another bleak stalemate with the
other prime candidate for
relegation, Sannat Lions. So in
the third day of the young
season, the Blacks were already
in must-win mode, not in the
interest of challenging for top
spot but to avoid getting bogged
down in a relegation struggle.
The opponent was none other than
defending champions, Xewkija
Tigers who had been on a roll of
sorts in direct confrontations
with the Blacks of late. Indeed,
the Blacks were sporting a 2-1-7
record in the previous ten
clashes with the Tigers.
Danger-man Sabri Rais put three
past Għajnsielem in a 0-3 cup
defeat earlier in the season.
It was, therefore,
understandable that the Club
faced this fixture with great
apprehension. The team answered
the call to arms. The Blacks
were quick to settle down and
after three great opportunities
missed by Errol Grima and
Alloysius Ihebulu, they opened
the score through Frank
Buttigieg. Xewkija's reaction
was feeble. Sabri was kept under
wraps by Joseph Scicluna.
However, towards the end of the
first half, in a rare foray
forward on their part they
levelled the score through Chris
Camilleri. In the dying moments
of the half Loreto Scicluna was
tripped up by a Xewkija player.
In the ensuing melee that
followed Joseph Scicluna was
sent off. The sizeable crowd
present at the Sannat Ground
sensed that Għajnsielem would be
disheartened by these
developments. In fact the
opposite happened. Għajnsielem
came out in the second half in
pursuit of the go-ahead goal,
and did not concede the
initiative to their opponents
until they went ahead. The goal
came from the right boot of
Alloysius Ihebulu who had run
clear of the Xewkija defence.
Xewkija mounted a furious late
charge in search of an
equalizer. Għajnsielem defended
the slender lead courageously.
When the rearguard was pierced,
Sammy Attard loomed large
between the posts and made two
or three saves of the miraculous
variety. Ten-man Għajnsielem
held out until the final whistle
was sounded.
Xewkija's defense of the title
effectively ended then. By
contrast, Għajnsielem crawled
out of the deep hole dug early
in the season and went on a
four-game winning streak and a
six-game unbeaten first round of
league play. This translated
into a four point lead at the
top of the table above the
nearest contender, Nadur Y. This
lead was the first of its kind
since the championship season of
1973/74. The unbeaten round
(4-2-0) was the first since the
unbeaten season of 1976/77—which
then was a very anaemic 1-5-0.
Unfortunately, the Blacks' went
on to fritter away that lead and
closed the season in third
place.
As for the bogey this match may
turn out to mark a turnaround in
fortune against these rivals.
The Blacks have held a slight
edge over the Tigers since that
day. The Blacks did suffer a 2-3
reversal against a Tigers team
shorn of the services of Sabri
in the midst of that same
2001/02 season's second round
swoon that still has many a
Blacks supporter completely
befuddled.
