Hamrun Spartans move five points clear of fifth-placed Balzan, Birkirkara and Sliema Wanderers as they defeated Tarxien Rainbows 3-0 at the Hibernians Stadium on Saturday despite having to play for half an hour in ten men.
This win extends their unbeaten run to ten matches. Ten matches from which they won seven and drew three.
Tarxien remain eighth but now lead by just one point over St. Andrews, two over Floriana and three over Senglea and Mosta who share the third-place from bottom.
Hamrun had one change from the team which defeated St. Andrews as Donneil Alain Moukanza replaced Sebastian Nayar.
Tarxien, on the other hand, had debutante Dorian Bugeja deputising for Andrea Cassar in goal while Marco Botta, Daniel Zerafa and Daren Falzon were preferred to Matthew Brincat, Matthew Spiteri and Luke Grech.
The Spartans took the lead on the 26th minute when Dorian Bugeja tried to chase Domoraud for the ball and the latter was quick to serve the unmarked Marco Criaco on the left who slammed the ball home.
Seven minutes from the end of the first half, Wilfried Domoraud hit the crossbar with a fine header following a Marco Criaco corner.
The Spartans had Kevin Tulimieri sent off on 63 minutes after receiving a second yellow card but six minutes from time, they still sciored a second goal when off a cross by Criaco, Wilfried Domoraud slotted the ball past Bugeja.
One minute in added time, the Spartans scored the third goal thanks to an own goal after Destin Prince-Loic Mambouana placed the ball at the back of the net following a cross by Moukanza from the right.
HAMRUN Sean Cini, Enrico Pepe, Triston Caruana, Wilfried Domoraud (88′ Ryan Darmanin), Matthew Gauci, Marco Criaco, Karl Micallef, Donneil Alain Moukanza (90+1′ Cain Cutajar), Orestis Nikolopoulos, Caetano Calil (70′ Conor Borg), Kevin Tulimieri.
Subs not used: Lydon Moore, Andre Scicluna, Karl Schembri, Christopher Galea.
Coach: Stefan SultanaTARXIEN Dorian Bugeja, Marco Botta, Jens Wemmer (80′ Gabriel Aquilina), Juan Cruz Gill (74′ Matthew Spiteri), Daniel Zerafa, Michele Paolucci, Daren Falzon, Siraj Arab Eddin, Destin Prince-Loic Mambouana, Anderson de Barros, Ricardo Silva Faria.
Subs not used: Maverick Buhagiar, Matthew Brincat, Daniel Vassallo, Luke Grech, Miguel Ciantar.
Coach: Jose Borg
Asst. Coach: Saviour Debono GrechReferee: Mario Apap
Assistant Referees: Christopher Francalanza, Roberto Vella
Fourth Official: Etienne Mangion
Yellow Cards: De Barros, Tulimieri, Arab, Cutajar
Red Cards: 63′ Tulimieri
BOV Player of the Match: Donneil Alain MoukanzaAttendance: 544