Watch: Mayron’s late strike send Ħamrun Spartans into FA Trophy quarter-finals

ŻABBAR ST PATRICK 1

Tavares 64

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS   2

Eder 32; Mayron 88

ŻABBAR SP

J. Haber, Wallace, S. Gatt, S. Ilic, Z. Grech (59 J. Pisani), A. Etim (46 A. Iervolino), Vinicius, J. Mendonca (73 J. Micallef), D. Jovicic (77 D. Fava), M. Barros Santos (D. Tavares), D. Oliveira Souza.

ĦAMRUN SPARTANS

Celio, M. Ellul (46 R. Camenzuli), S. Xerri, D. Letherby (72 Talison), J. Cadenovic, Ederson (59 E. Freitas), A. Kairou, Mayron, E. Marcelina, C. Menacho, M. Klepac (60 J. Mbong).

Referee Ezekiel Barbara.

Yellow card Mayron.

Ħamrun Spartans battled their way into the quarter-finals of the FA Trophy with a hard-fought win over Żabbar St Patrick.

The Malta champions were the better side in the first side and took a deserved lead.

But Żabbar fought back after the break and after Tavares levelled matters it looked as though they could stun their more-quoted opponents.

However, the Spartans’ character came to the fore and they managed to grab the winner two minutes from time courtesy of a headed goal from Mayron to march on to the last eight.

Ħamrun started strongly and after only two minutes they almost took the lead.

From a Jovan Cadenovic corner kick, Emerson Marcelina’s firm header was pushed away by Justin Haber.

Żabbar took some time to settle down but as the minutes passed they started to defend much better against the Spartans’ high press.

The Spartans’ persistence finally paid off on 32 minutes when they took the lead.

The Reds won a corner kick and Eder was first onto Cadenovic’s delivery to flick the ball past a stunned Justin Haber.

Two minutes from the end of the first half, Kairou dispossessed Akpan Etim but his cross-shot was deflected to a corner by Haber.

After the break, Ħamrun seemed to be in control but it was Żabbar who levelled matters on 64 minutes.

Mendonca fed substitute Diogo Tavares who turned past Sven Xerri and fire the ball past Celio.

The Spartans looked rattled and as the minutes passed Żabbar seemed to continue to grow in stature and were making life difficult for their opponents with their physical approach.

Chances remained few and far between but when it looked like that the match would be heading to extra-time, Ħamrun struck the winner.

Ryan Camenzuli picked Cadenovic on the left and the Montenegrin sent a dipping cross towards Mayron who anticipated Haber to head into an empty net to the delight of the Spartans fans.