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Versity annihilate depleted Sliema   

Versity Tal-Qroqq      10

Sliema Rangers          0

(Half-time 5 – 0)

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A potentially tricky match turned out to be a stroll in the park for Versity as they presented themselves with their new playing kits.  Sliema who have already started their league commitments with 2 defeats had another battering as they could only manage to field a starting team of 9 players.  Versity had a full compliment with a further 5 players on the bench.  The encounter turned to be a one-sided contest once Versity found the first goal.  This win allowed Versity to register their second win and earn 3 important points.    

Camilleri continued with his policy of using the 4-4-2 formation.  This time round he had the availability of a number of players and this allowed him to utilise the squad at his disposal.  Agius started in goal with the back four being Baldacchino on the right, Ellul Soler on the left and the centre composed of Barbara and Cutajar. In the centre of the field Bugeja started on the left, in the centre there were Scerri with R Zammit whilst Camilleri played on the right with C Zammit and N Tabone leading the forward line.

The opening exchanges saw Sliema maintaining good composure and Versity trying to take advantage of their numerical superiority and score an early goal.  It took Versity a few minutes to get their rhythm going and as experienced in previous matches Versity are still failing from getting a good flow of football into their game.  However, with the space they found they started to use the flanks well and started to craft openings where C Zammit, R Zammit, Bugeja and Tabone could have done better.  The opening goal was only round the corner and a fine move was finished well in the bottom corner by Bugeja which allowed Versity to play with ease.  In fact a second came courtesy of a well placed shot by Tabone who thus crowned his return with Versity after the absence of many years with a goal.  The third came courtesy of an Ellul Soler not well taken shot which somehow found the back of the net. Versity continued piling attacks with Scerri hit the upright but Sliema to their credit tried their own luck and a good shot from the distance almost found Agius wanting as the ball hit the upright whilst some alert defending was required to keep Sliema at bay.  Versity put in a further gear and they scored their fourth and fifth goals when Camilleri nodded in from a Bugeja cross whereas C Zammit found space from a Camilleri cross and soon afterwards the first half came to a close with the game as good as over.

The second half witnessed the departure of 2 further Sliema players which however, meant that the game could continue with the remaining 7 players on the field.  The Sliema players who remained were to be given credit for their fighting spirit but Versity seemed intent to try and score more goals. Tabone was replaced by Schembri and after a few minutes Versity scored the 6^th goal as Camilleri ran well to clip a good shot into the corner.  In came Vella for Bugeja and a surging run from Vella saw him score his first goal for Versity since he joined in last year.  With 7 - 0 up Versity eased the tempo whereas Sliema were trying to score a concolation goal.  In fact Agius had to be alert and twice he denied Sliema from scoring.  From an out ball R Zammit was well placed and hooked in a nice curling left footer for the eight goal whereas Camilleri completed his personal hat-trick and scored Versity’s ninth when a run saw him find space and put nicely beyond the goaler.  It was a question of whether Versity would hit double digits.  A dubious offside and a post remanded the goal but the tenth goal did arrive and it was Baldacchino who completed the route with a shot that passed through the goaler’s feet.  In seconds the referee blew the end to the match.

It turned out to be an easy match for Versity in which they recorded their highest ever score but the 3 points were the most important thing.  The game gave Versity a good training workout but the true strength of the squad and how good they are will be tested in other matches and only then can Versity know of their true power and how far they can go. 

Formation:

C Abdilla            [6.5] – did well when required;

B Baldachhino    [7.0] – energetic and good goal;

J Ellul Soler        [7.0] – technique and decent goal;

P Barbara          [6.5] – good positional play;

A Cutajar           [6.5] – composed;

D Scerri             [7.0] – powerhouse;

R Zammit          [7.0] – fine game & lovely goal;

P Bugeja            [7.5] – clever goal & fine assists;

A Camilleri         [8.0] – 3 goals & good performance;

C Zammit          [6.5] – cheeky goal;

N Tabone          [6.5] – skilful debut goal;

Subs:

R Schembri        [6.5] – good contribution;

K Bonanno         [6.5] – good cameo;

R Vella              [6.5] – good goal;

C Williams         [n.v.] – unused;

D Grima             [n.v.] - unused;

Coach & technical staff:

D Camilleri         [7.0] – the game plan was to attack and he used a formation designated to play a pass and move game from all quarters from the backline to the front.  The opponents’ lack of players and semblance of any opposition scuppered a bit his intentions and thus his questions may have not been fully answered on whether to use such a formation on other occasions.

Referees:          [7.0] – easy game to control.

Versity Player of the match: Antonio Camilleri – today he started to show a return to his old self with some fine runs on the flank whilst helping himself to a hat-trick.  Harder games await but this was a moral boosting contribution by the winger to get back to his former brilliant performances.